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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 4, 1996)
The Battalion ume 103 » Issue uo • 10 P.iqes \\ ed ne sd.1 s Dev emb c r 4 1 0 I he Putt Online http but \% et> tumu edu Student Center Complex Fee Itudents to decide on increase |By Melissa Nunnery The Battalion 7840 \ I Or Tixas A&M students will have ^^^a^Bpportunity to decide today jMther the Student Center ■plex Fee will increase by $2 sj Hr until it reaches $30 per se- ■■er in 2000. T( xas law requires that in- ^Kes in the fee be passed by Knt referendum. Bie Student Center Complex ■Bs one of the main sources ten you ii come for the University |Hter, which includes the I, Rudder Complex and the J. Koldus Building. These eihties provide office space "' , ™“ vd meeting and event rooms Blf* Btudent activities. fwlHhiis Williams, MSC presi dent and a senior speech com munication major, said students do not realize the importance of the Student Center Complex Fee. “A lot of people don’t realize how this fee affects them,” Williams said. “It supports the student activities program, which is one of the best in the nation.” Williams said the fee, now $24, would increase $2 a year starting in Fall 1997. The fee has not been increased since 1992. The University Center is un der financial pressure, Williams said, because the fee has not in creased in five years. He said the University Center Complex has generated revenue from other sources to supplement the inad equate funding the fee provides. “They increased the cost to hold conferences there,” Williams said. “But ... people stop having conferences there if the cost gets too high.” He said student use of the center is probably greater than other uses. Therefore, some of the costs of operating the center is being shifted to the students. He said the purpose of the fee is not to run up individual bud gets for student groups. But if the fee increase is not passed, Williams said, student organiza tions will face a financial burden. “[If the fee is not increased] the most likely outcome is that student organizations would be charged for their use of the Uni versity Center,” Williams said. Williams used Ring Dance as an example. He said because class councils sell tickets to Ring Dance, they would have to use a percentage of their profits from ticket sales to pay for the use of rooms in the University Center for the dance. “Class councils can’t afford that,” Williams said. “They’re try ing to save for class gifts.” Student Body President Carl Baggett said the fee increase is necessary. “Students are going to value those buildings and the services they provide,” Baggett said. “I support Chris’ stand.” Students may vote from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the MSC, the Commons, Wehner, Kleberg, the Student Recreation Center, Sterling C. Evans Library, Zachry and Sbisa. Slocum releases 3 football coaches By Kristina Buffin and Tom Day The Battalion Throughout a.long and disap pointing .500 season, the Texas A&M Football Team hunted for answers to its problems on the gridiron. On Tuesday, the program took another step in search of a solution. Offensive coordinator Steve En- sminger, defensive coordinator Phil Bennett and wide receivers coach Les Koenning Jr. were dis missed from their posts Tuesday in the wake of A&M’s worst season since finishing 5-5-1 in 1983. “I’ve visited with all three coaches,” Slocum said in a state ment released late Tuesday. “I have released them to pursue oth er job interests.” Slocum’s decision came as no surprise to at least one of the three coaches. Bennett, who turned 41 yesterday, had informed Slocum earlier in the season of his desire to leave A&M. “I told R.C. from mid-season on that I wanted to pursue other in terests,” Bennett said on the tele phone from his home Tuesday. See Releases, Page 10 jmonia ts :oupon ■ir ■py I 11 |tj§ h ‘ ■ T’-' - e, Inc. i. i. m. Shoe Bag m mSm ■•Wgtf inlay | ) p.m. Dave House, The Battalion Caitlin Dowell, a 3 1/2-year-old. Bryan resident, goes ice-skating for the first time with her father at the Post Oak Mall ice-skating rink. X: Bush linked to drug cartel By Wesley Poston The Battalion Former President George Bush is the kingpin of a crack cocaine cartel, Minister Quanell X and Harley Schlanger said Tuesday night in Rud der Auditorium. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. sponsored the lecture “The Bush Connection: Who Started the Crack Cocaine Epidemic,” presenting evi dence of Bush’s involvement with Nicaraguan cocaine trafficking. Schlanger, of the Executive Intelli gence Review, outlined a system of drug trafficking that connected drug pushers on street corners to the White House. “If you want a war on drugs, follow the money and go after the networks to the top,” he said. “[Former President Bush] bears direct personal responsi bility for destroying American lives.” The Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s was funded through govern ment-controlled drug trafficking, Schlanger said. “To focus solely on the CIA is to be misdirected,” he said. “We were fight ing Oliver North and Bush at the be ginning of the Contra affair. The Con tras were created by the U.S.” Schlanger presented newspaper clippings from South American news papers focusing on Bush’s involve ment in drug trafficking. “Bush is the kingpin of crack,” Schlanger said. “You stand anywhere in Watts (Los Angeles) and you look out and every single house has been affected by the drug problem. The de struction that’s been done deserves an explanation and the people de serve justice.” “Bush, as a crack king responsible for the destruction of thousands of American lives, should not disgrace the campus of A&M with a library in his honor.” Quanell X, a minister in the Nation of Islam, challenged the African- American community of A&M to re spond to the drug problems. Tim Moog, The Battalion See Drugs, Page 6 Harley Schlanger of the Executive Intelligence Review claims former President Bush is the kingpin in the crack cocaine epidemic in America. CAMAC hosts La Posada celebration Bethlehem re-enactment shows Mexican-American view of Christmas By Laura Oliveira The Battalion The Texas A&M campus will be transformed into Bethlehem tonight as a celebration of La Posada is host ed by the Committee for the Aware ness of Mexican American Culture. The tradition displays a re-enact ment of Mary and Joseph’s Christ mas journey through Bethlehem. Led by a tiki torch symbolizing the Christmas Star, an estimated 100 participants will stop at four loca tions on campus before they reach their final destination at the Grove. The event will begin at All Faiths Chapel at 7 p.m. From there, partici pants will travel to the YMCA, Hart Hall, and the MSC. Each stop symbolizes a place Mary and Joseph were refused shel ter before arriving at the manger were Jesus was born. Anissa Silva, an event participant and senior sociology major, said she is proud the Mexican tradition empha sizes the true meaning of Christmas. “It shows the Mexican-American culture views Christmas in a very re ligious way,” she said. “We show what happened on Christmas night, and that is what we are supposed to be thinking about.” A couple will be at each stop waiting for the candle-holding travelers. The tradi tional La Posada song will be sung in Spanish during the voyage. The song tells the story of the re fusals Mary and Joseph received. A celebration with tamales, beans, rice “This tradition is cherished in the Mexican culture, and I think it is important for people to see that/ Jessica Hickey CAMAC cultural director and hot chocolate will be waiting for the participants at their final destination. Jessica Hickey, cultural director of CAMAC and a sophomore biomed ical science major, said the event will bring an awareness of the Mexi can tradition. “It is cool to learn and see how dif ferent cultures celebrate holidays,” she said. “This tradition is cherished in the Mexican culture, and I think it is important for people to see that.” A star-shaped pinata will be brought out at the end of the event. The pinata signi fies temptations, and the destruction of it symbolizes combat ing them. Laura Huerta, vice chair of programs for CAMAC and a junior Spanish major, said the pinata is her favorite part of La Posada. “It is always fun and it is a very serious tradition,” she said. “When the pinata comes out, you know it is time to celebrate and get down with the food.” (hanks, A&M : rpm a bugle stand to I ‘‘eternal” flame, Igie senior class ■ts have character. Aggie life, Page 3 mstmmMms ■rnmmmmm pr starters It A&M Volleyball Team lens up NCAATour- Inient play tonight 1G. Rollie White. Sports, Page 7 urplus fiderson: Some phants may be dead A&M, but they’re ing wild in Africa. Opinion, Page 9 University chancellors to ask Texas Legislature for $900 million By Brandon Hausenfluck The Battalion A coalition of the chancel lors from the four major Texas university systems are preparing to ask the 75th Texas Legislature for more than $900 million to enhance the State’s educational sys tem and to secure financial stability for the 21st century. Texas A&M University System Chancellor Barry Thompson, along with chancellors William Cun ningham of the University of Texas System, John Mont- ford of the Texas Tech Sys tem, and Bill Hobby of the University of Houston Sys tem will ask for money that they say will benefit Texans for generations to come. Thompson said the funds are vital to ensure future fi nancial stability in Texas. “ [The money] will help in- crease the number of stu dents who attend and gradu ate from college,” he said. “If we don’t significantly in crease graduation rates (in Texas), then all welfare costs and aid to dependents are going to skyrocket.” The 1997 Higher Educa tion Directory reports that Texas has 190 public and private higher education institutions. The money would go to improving all aspects of pub lic education in Texas such as increasing public school partnerships and increasing student support and reten tion programs. Financial aid programs and research and develop ment on increasing work force preparedness would also be funded. Demographic studies ini tiated by the coalition have shown that a growing popu lation of ethnic minorities, school-age children and se nior citizens will increase the demand for educational and social services. Texas’ population is expected to in crease from around 18 mil lion in 1996 to over 33 mil lion in 2030. Attendance rates at four- year institutions in Texas are 14 percent lower than the national average. Atten dance rates at community colleges and universities are 6 percent lower than the national average. Only about half of stu dents who enroll in a public college or university in Texas earn degrees. To meet the national av erage of college graduates, Thompson said, Texas must raise the number of bache lor’s degrees awarded by 15,200 a year, a 22.5 per cent increase. Saralee Tiedy, deputy chancellor of the University of Houston System, said the future of Texas is at stake if improvements in the educa tional system are not made. “The outlook on the fu ture of Texas is a rather grim picture,” Tiedy said. “Our population is aging, there is a higher growth rate in Hispanic and African-American popula tions, and Texas is already a rather poor state. “So [the chancellors] said, ‘Let’s draw our own educa tional forces together and re port on the public school sys tems in Texas.’” Tiedy said the universities have worked well together in conducting their research. “We used the best peo ple we could find,” Tiedy said. “All of the reports were very good and we called on the expertise (of the re searchers) to decide what are the best practices to solve the problems.” A proposal to the 75th Legislature by the coalition stresses that because of low er educational accomplish ments, Texas falls behind the national average in per sonal income. Higher edu cation, it says, is increasing ly necessary for job growth and economic progress in the 21st century. Through public school partnerships, a reading ini tiative would improve read ing programs for 12,000 first through third grade students in 1998-99. Almost FUNDING REQUESTS FOR THE BACK TO BASICS INITIATIVES Health Ei»uo»t*&h A ft&D AH& WORKFORCE: , PRERARATtOH® Student Financial Assistance School, HIRS . 50,000 students would ben efit from a reading initia tive in 2000-01. A college and university preparation initiative would model programs for up to 120,000 seventh- to 12th- grade students in 2000-01. Once fully implemented, 75,000 students per year would improve their reading skills, and up to 12,000 more students would go to college each year. Thompson said he is con fident Texas will overcome its education problems. “I am enthused about the prospect because Texas is expected to grow,” he said. “It’s about time that we at tack the problems.”