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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 3, 1996)
m To •rice r iUSl Veil ke Off IO%{ All-U Night excites students By Matthew Flume The Battalion Amid the confusion and chaos that typically surround Texas A&M’s annual All-University Night, students deemed the festivities a success at firing up the school for the fall. All-U Night’s goal was to intro duce the students to campus lead ers and the football and volleyball teams and to get the student body excited about the new year. Several A&M students said All-U Pat James, The Battalion Dunn Hall residents carry in a substitute for their mascot, Tom Doss, on All-U Night. Night reached its goal. “(All-U Night) is a good way to get everyone together and learn the cheers,” said Angie Long, a fresh man biomedical science major. “It is a lot of people getting to gether,” said Sean Gillespie, a genet ics major. “A lot of people having a good time and a lot of spirit.” The night, however, did have its problems. Students took a while to grasp the new set-up that will be used for future All-U Nights and upcoming yell practices. The changes were made to ac commodate the upcoming renova tions to Kyle Field. A stage was set up on the track on the 50-yard line. After the yell leaders spent 15 minutes moving everyone from the horseshoe to the student section of Kyle Field, the festivities began. Many different campus organiza tions, ranging from the Corps of Cadets to on-campus residents, from the Greek community to ath letes, attended the ceremony. The rivalries between residence halls and the north- and southsides made for an amusing sideshow to the main event. The halls attempted to out yell each other with creative chants which showed their spirit. The yells only seemed to intensi fy as the night went on. The Aggie Band kicked off the night by marching in and taking their seats in the middle of the crowd on the 50-yard line. After the Yell Leaders introduced themselves, Senior Head Yell Leader Chris Torn welcomed all students, es pecially the Class of 2000, to A&M. Student Body President Carl Baggett welcomed the student body and emphasized the importance of the Class of 2000 to the University. Baggett said the Class of 2000 is the foundation of the upcoming year and its importance is unmatched. “Let me tell you one thing, we’re all Aggies together and we are all part of the Aggie family together, and we are all one,” Baggett said. “We’re Aggies first!” Merchants consider Aggie Bucks 1AGNAV y 'oost •Shuffle/rap** 1 m *1X0 display McDonald’s and Inspirations are the most recent local businesses to accept Aggie Bucks. By Carla Renea Marsh The Battalion Debit cards are swiping through the Bryan-College Station area as merchants alter their businesses to ac cept Aggie Bucks. Earlier this summer, the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce met with local merchants who wanted to learn more about the Aggie Bucks sys tem and how it could affect their businesses. However, McDonald’s Restaurant and Inspirations are the only B-CS merchants who have jumped on the Aggie Bucks bandwagon. Employees at those busi nesses said Aggie Bucks help increase their sales and en able them to provide the same services as on-campus merchants. "At least half of our sales are from Aggie Bucks,” said Jameela Klaimy, assistant manager at Inspirations. Several factors are in volved in expanding Aggie Bucks off campus. Dale Witenhafer, debit card administrator, said Texas A&M must consider the impact on businesses, federal and state legisla tion, and the fact that A&M is not a bank. One concern of A&M par ents is whether Aggie Bucks will expand to businesses that sell alcoholic beverages. Witenhafer said A&M will only allow merchants who sell products similar to what is sold on campus to use the debit card system. Student Senate speaker proposes safety study By Wes Swift The Battalion Plans were unveiled Monday for a proposed task force focusing on security improvements for the Texas A&M campus by Student Senate Speaker Chris Reed. The five-member com- ► See editorial, Page 15 mittee would investigate all aspects of safety on campus and present legislation to the Student Senate. The task force would take into consideration the methods and programs of other universities that have effectively dealt with safety problems similar to A&M’s. The proposal issued by Reed, a senior finance ma jor, said such safety aspects will include "... lighting, sex ual assault/harassment ... location and types of cam pus phones, University Po lice Department, dial-a-ride and existing or proposed campus services.” The task force would also compare its security measures with those of oth er universities to discover new ideas that could work at A&M. The Senate will decide on the proposal during its Sept. 11 meeting. Reed said the motivation behind the task force comes from several years of con cern about campus safety. “I think that this is one of the things that the University, Student Government and other people have been con cerned about,” he said. “But no one has stepped up to the plate to take responsibility.” The proposed committee is not the first such endeav or to improve campus safe ty. A similar committee, composed of students, ad ministrators and University police officials, was created by the administration. Former Student Body President Brooke Leslie cre ated a committee two years ago to begin a Campus Crimestoppers program. Reed’s proposal called the committee’s results an “undisputed failure” be cause it failed to implement the program. Reed said the proposed committee will differ from the previous committee by setting a definite timetable for action. Any legislation from the committee is due to be presented to the Sen ate by Dec. 4. “I think if (the committee members) see a deadline when the committee will be discontinued, it will spur them on to produce definite results,” he said. “It’s a big job, and putting a time limit on it will push the members to produce solid results.” The proposal named the committee’s five members. Senator Pat Troy will chair See Safety, Page 10 STUDENT GOVEFRNMENT T K X A S A & :Nt l J N IV B R S I T Y Proposed Security Task Force • would compare other universities' security measures to those at A&M would study need for lighting and emer gency phones to improve campus safety United States readies for military offensive But for those businesses that meet the University’s requirements, Witenhafer said, the choice about whether to accept Aggie Bucks remains with the merchants. The process of making their businesses debit card accessible is expensive, he said. Merchants have to purchase modems, readers and phone lines. Stores that decide to ac cept Aggie Bucks now will beat the crowd of stores that may possibly use the debit card system in the future. “I think it’s great because no one else in the mall takes Aggie Bucks,” said Klaimy, when asked how she feels about Inspirations being one of the first stores to take Aggie Bucks. SALAH AD-DIN, Iraq (AP) — Iraqi troops pulled back from the northern Kurdish city of Irbil on Monday, but not enough to satisfy the Clinton administration as it prepared punish ment for Iraq. Clinton approved military and econom ic retribution against Iraq, a U.S. official in Washington said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The United States readied its forces and sought support from allies for a military offensive, but there was no indica tion when it would act. In Iraq, refugees who fled to a nearby town described the terror of Saddam Hussein’s biggest offensive since the Persian GulfWar. “It was very frightening. Boom here, boom there. Taka-taka-taka. We were scared to death,” said Sabira Hamid Hursid, who es caped with her four children to Salah ad-Din, 20 miles northeast of Irbil. Iraqi troops did not allow reporters to approach Irbil, where they were pulling out on Monday, leaving their Kurdish allies in control. But U.N. workers there told The Associated Press that there were still Iraqi tanks in fields three to six miles outside the city. White House Press Secretary Mike McCur- ry said the United States saw no signs of an Iraqi withdrawal from Irbil — and in fact had evidence that Iraq was moving deeper into Kurd-controlled areas. McCurry said it appeared Saddam’s objec tive was Sulaymaniyah, an administrative center for the Kurdish area. Iraqi troops ap peared to be hunting down and killing politi cal opponents in the areas they seized, McCurry said. “Our interest is in making sure that Sad dam does not believe that unjustified be havior of this type is cost free,” McCurry said. “Our concern here is what Saddam believes he has gained from a strategic viewpoint.” Pentagon officials said the preparations for any military steps ordered by the presi dent had been U.S. Gulf forces completed. The 20,000 U.S. troops in the Persian Gulf region were on high alert. Gen. John Sha- likashvili, chair man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made urgent trips to Saudi Arabia and Jordan to ral ly Arab support. Saudi Arabia agreed to coop erate in any U.S. retaliatory action, Saudi sources said on condition of anonymity. The offensive prompted the United Na tions to delay its plan to let Iraq resume limited oil sales despite sanctions. On Monday, oil prices in Europe jumped sharply on the news; U.S. markets were closed for Labor Day. Saddam’s troops stormed Irbil, the main city in the U.S.-protected Kurdish “safe haven” in northern Iraq, on Saturday. The Kurdistan Democratic Party had asked Iraq for help in dislodging the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. About 20,000 American Forces are i the area, mostly aboard Navy ships. U.S. fighter and reconnaissance planes based at Incirlik, Turkey have been patrolling the skies over northern Iraq since 1991. AP ess Telepl] lexible Antefll ;r memory •One'N iction •Hear! e (2-9500) i The Battalion TODAY it as a Fiddle ome students are tarting the semester ith aspirations of letting fit. Aggie!ife, Page 3 harcoal aintains proper ; timum cooking ggie Netters he A&M volleyball nd soccer teams are feady to start the Big 2 off with a bang. Sports, Page 11 ve's Home CenlefS' iall & Chain ommon miscon- eptions of married fe in college are eared up. Opinion, Page 15 Baggett extends new roles, ideas By Dave Taylor The Battalion While many Texas A&M students spent the summer interning, going to school or relaxing, Student Body Pres ident Carl Baggett spent his summer asking questions. “I really believe that preparation is the key to anything,” he said. Baggett, a senior ac counting major, said the role of the student body president is three-fold: rep resenting the students, act ing as a resource for the student body and perpetu ating and refining the stu dent body in general. “Student government is supposed to be for every one,” he said. “The more times we reach out for stu dents, the better.” Baggett has never served in the Student Government Association, but has spent time in numerous other ca pacities within the Corps of Cadets and Bonfire. Matt Mayfield, Baggett’s executive vice president and a senior animal science ma jor, said Baggett’s perspec tive has helped renovate student government. “Carl has asked a lot of questions of a lot of people,” Mayfield said. “He’s done a great job of keeping the things that work and using new ideas.” One new committee, Texas Aggies Making Changes, will expand the opportunities for people to serve in Student Govern ment. Laurie Nickel, Baggett’s vice president of programs and student development and a sophomore business administration major, hopes many people who have never See Baggett, Page 10 Bowen stresses open-door policy Tim Moog, The Battalion Gwendolyn Struve, The Battalion Student Body President Carl Baggett aims to in volve more students in Stu dent Government. Texas A&M President Dr. Ray Bowen encourages students to recognize the importance of leadership. By Brandon Hausenfluck The Battalion As students begin fall classes and re-adjust to the daily grind of the semester, Dr. Ray Bowen is readying himself to ready tommor- row’s leaders. Bowen, Texas A&M presi dent, said he is prepared to serve the students and facul ty as best he can and is eager to see what challenges await him in his second year. One of Bowen’s objectives for the semester is helping students recognize the im portance of leadership. “I will do anything to sup port students in leadership development,” Bowen said. “I would like students to feel comfortable approaching (the administration).” Bowen’s resume is stacked with leadership ex perience. Previous posi tions include Chair of the Mechanical Engineering and Mathematical Sciences Department at Rice Univer sity and a stint as interim president at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Leo Sayavedra, Texas A&M University System deputy chancellor, said Bowen is always eager to serve the University. “Dr. Bowen is easy to work with and he is very sensitive to students’ needs,” Sayavedra said. “He makes himself very accessi ble and he enjoys communi cating with people.” The door to the presi dent’s office, Bowen said, is always open and students are welcome to come by and share their concerns with him or just to visit. “We have an open-door policy,” Bowen said. “I like to talk to students and let them See Bowen, Page 10