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olume 103 • Issue 73 • 8 Pages
The Batt Online: http://bat-web.tamu.edu
Thursday, January 16, 1997
Corps focuses
an scholastics
By JoAnne Whittemore
The Baftalion
Accolades and disbanding busied the
Dtps of Cadets this week as a second outfit
asde-activated and cadets were recognized
rthe highest average grade point ratio in al-
iost 30 years.
The Texas A&M Corps of Cadets demon-
rated a commitment to academics last se-
lesterwith an overall grade-point ratio of 2.6.
Corps Commandant Major General M.T.
fed” Hopgood Jr. said he is pleased with the
idets' scholastic performance.
‘Tm delighted,” he said. “I think it’s reflec-
veof the focus and hard work of the cadets in
le Corps.”
Steve Foster, Corps Commander and a se-
iorpolitical science major, said the reason for
lehigh GPR was cadets’ increased interest in
academic affairs. The cadets are taking their
grades more seriously, he said, studying hard
er during their call-to-quarters and are more
focused during finals.
“The Corps understands that grades are im
portant,” he said. “As every semester goes by,
more and more people realize this.”
Foster said the Wing division of the Corps
averaged over a 2.7, which boosted the Corps
average substantially.
Lee Mayo, a sophomore industrial distribu
tion major in company K-l, said his grades
have improved this semester because he has
put more effort into his work. The Corps stress
es academic achievement, he said.
“The Corps puts a lot of emphasis on mak
ing good grades,” he said, “and it is important
to attain that goal.”
See Corps, Page 8
Conference devoted to unity
By Kevin Cummings
The Battalion
Students from all over the country
will gather in College Station this
weekend for the Southwestern Black
Leadership Conference.
The conference was originally es
tablished for the students of the old
Southwest Conference schools, but the
conference now draws students from
as far away as California.
The conference begins in Rudder
Auditorium on Thursday and contin
ues through Sunday.
The theme for this year’s conference
is "Unity of spirit to soar beyond an un
certain future.”
Tamera Jenkins, a junior journalism
major, said the weekend conference
will be an opportunity to pool the re
sources of participants.
“SBSLC is dedicated to addressing
and solving major issues as well as
bringing a spirit of unity among stu
dents and leaders of all levels.”
Wi
i
Southwestern Black
Leadership
Conference
Students attending the conference
can attend luncheons, a career fair, an
oratorical contest, religious services,
socials and workshops with guest
speakers.
The workshops will be the focus of
the conference and will cover topics
such as affirmative action, unity, per
sonal finance and the information su
perhighway.
One workshop will be presented by
guest speaker Mohammed Bilal, from
MTV’s The Real World. Bilal will share
what he has learned about the negative
effects of racism and violence on the
youth of today.
Other speakers, including former
mayor ofWashington D.C. Sharon Pratt
Kelly, will address civil rights, justice
and unity.
Several events are open to the pub
lic this weekend. For $3, students can
attend the MSC Film Society’s presen
tation of Spike Lee’s Get on the Bus
Thursday at 8:30 p.m. in Rudder Audi
torium.
The public can also attend the Ca
reer Fair Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in
Rudder Auditorium. The fair will in
clude representatives from the U. S.
Navy and Texas Instruments. Vendors
with a variety of Black art, books and
clothing will be in Rudder Exhibit Hall
both Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m.
to 6 p.m.
A church service with Reverend
Melvin Cooper, Pastor of St. Matthews
Baptist Church, will be held Sunday.
Students who are interested in infor
mation concerning the conference or
attending next year’s conference should
contact the SBSLC office at 845-4565.
Defying Gravity
George Plomarity, a junior international studies and political science major, skates at The
Grove Wednesday afternoon. After a harsh cold front left the area, students enjoyed sunny weather.
Student Government plans for new year
Campus leaders prepare to work with
other Universities on shared issues
By JoAnne Whittemore
The Battalion
Student Government officials
lan to continue the previous
tester’s successes into the
ew year.
Carl Baggett, student body
resident and a senior account-
ig major, said Student Govern-
lent will concentrate its efforts
ttwo areas.
"We have two processes,” he
rid. “One is issues we have
'ought about prior to this se-
'ester and the second is issues
'at will come up this semester.”
Student Government is work-
'gwith other Texas universities to
nite on several issues they wish
'put before the State Legislature,
aggett said.
Compensatory funds, to help
Indents finance their education,
ndfee simplification, to help stu-
ents understand what their fees
are being used for, will be among
the issues addressed.
The General Use Fee will be
another issue dealt with this se
mester, Baggett said.
Student Government will
conduct a scientific telephone
survey to register student opin
ion of the GUF and to inform the
student body about the workings
of the GUF, he said.
To counteract the effects of the
Hopwood decision last year, Stu
dent Government will gather a list
of minority applicants and contact
them by telephone in hopes of re
cruiting them for the University.
Baggett said A&M students
reaching out to potential A&M stu
dents is “the best means possible.”
“Aggies talking to Aggies on a
personal level can make a differ
ence,” Baggett said.
Will Hurd, executive assistant to
the president and a sophomore
computer science and internation
al studies major, said A&M will also
be targeting schools it normally
does not recruit. A&M does little re
cruiting, Hurd said, so students are
unaware it is open as an option.
"We need to get an image of
A&M out there,” he said. "That’s
why we want to target some of the
schools A&M hasn’t initially gone
out to recruit.”
Student Government wants to
set up the framework to continue
its efforts through the next stu
dent body presidency, Hurd said.
Baggett said because of the
success of such programs as the
summer escort program and the
Executive Council, created last
semester, Student Government
wants to ensure that the pro
grams are continued.
“The Executive Council in Stu
dent Government has done a terrif
ic job in representing the students
in all its capacities,” Baggett said.
The Executive Council has ad
vocated security on campus, the
development of the summer es
cort program, and has acted as a
representative of the University
and a resource for different stu
dent groups, he said.
Chris Reed, the Speaker for Stu
dent Senate and a senior finance
major, said the Senate plans to keep
up with the Legislature proceed
ings and the fee increases that have
been proposed.
Senators are following individ
ual pursuits, he said, such as com
munal bikes for all students to use
while on campus and keeping the
Pavilion open on a 24-hour basis
for study hall purposes.
Months after
raid, marijuana
club reopens
^ A new measure allows
Cannabis sativa to
be legally sold for
medical purposes with
doctor's confirmation.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Milahhr
Kemnah strode into the Cannabis
Cultivators Club on Wednesday,
handed over-a $10 bill and got two
plastic bags of low-grade Mexican-
grown pot, becoming the first per
son in the United States since the
1930s to buy marijuana under the
protection of state law.
“I feel glad and I feel lucky. Histo
ry is being made,” Kemnah, who has
AIDS, declared before rolling a joint.
The Cannabis Cultivators Club
reopened on Wednesday five
months after state nar
cotics agents raided it
and shut it down. But
voter approval in No
vember of Proposition
215 — a measure legal
izing marijuana for
medical uses — and a
judge’s ruling last week
allowed the club to get
back in business.
Before the raid, the
club had operated ille
gally for years, but po
lice in San Francisco looked the oth
er way.
Would-be pot-smokers lined up
to get membership cards on opening
day of the Cultivators Club, which
will sell marijuana to people with
AIDS, glaucoma and other serious
illnesses to relieve their symptoms.
Prospective members had to
bring doctors’ notes, diagnoses and
identification. Club organizers
called doctors to confirm the docu
ments were legitimate before issuing
computer-generated ID cards with
photos and a bar-code strip.
The next step was purchasing the pot
from “bud tender” Randi Webster, who
had six types available, from Mexican-
grown to top-quality California “quad.”
Prices ranged from $5 to $65 per one-
eighth-ounce bag.
Also for sale were marijuana
cookies, truffles and vials of mari-;
juana tincture that can be dropped
into tea or coffee.
“Is everyone getting confirmed?”^
club founder Dennis Peron said. “If
not, relax, sit down. In the end, we’re
going to get ahold of your doctors. And
if we can’t sell you marijuana today,
we’ll sell you marijuana tomorrow.”
The United States outlawed mar
ijuana in 1937 except for approved
research. Possession of marijuana
remains a federal crime, but it was
unclear how federal drug officials
would react to the club’s reopening.
“We can’t comment on it as a spe
cific case,” said Bob Weiner, speak
ing for the Justice Department and
Office of National Drug Control Pol
icy. But he added: “We will continue
to enforce federal law, and we are re
viewing the administrative, civil and
criminal options right
now.”
Attorney General
Dan Lungren has re
luctantly acknowl
edged he is bound by
Proposition 215 but
warned he will keep
watch on the club to
prevent abuses.
His spokesman,
Steve Telliano, said
state narcotics agents
will not disrupt the
club’s operations as long it keeps
proper records and does not make a
profit.
The club’s attorney, J. David Nick,
said that while it is technically vio
lating federal drug law, a raid is un
likely.
“It would be a very despicable act,
especially since these individuals are
acting in accordance with state law,”
Nick said. “But God knows, if a new
president were to be elected and a
new attorney general appointed by
the president, this whole thing could
turn around in no time.”
Some researchers say marijuana
can relieve eye pressure in glauco
ma, reduce nausea in cancer pa
tients on chemotherapy, and com
bat wasting, a severe weight loss
associated with AIDS.
“I feel glad and
I feel lucky.
History is being
made.”
Milahhr Kemnah
AIDS patient
A&M computer
► Due to complaints
from students, the
number of available
modems will increase
from 576 to 912.
By Kathleen Strickland
The Battalion
Computing resources for Texas
A&M University students on and off
campus will be easier to access this
semester through modems and dial
up telephone lines.
The number of modems available will
be increased from 576 to 912 in January.
The new modems should be installed
and available for use this week. The in
crease resulted from the large number of
access boosted by new modems
complaints from students who could not
get access to dial-up modems during the
past semester.
John J. Dinkel, the Associate
Provost for Computing and Informa
tion Services, said CIS was aware of
the growing need for modems and the
limited resources available for the
large number of users.
“The ability to get access will be
much greater,” Dinkel said. “There
will be far fewer busy signals this se
mester.”
However, Dinkel said, there are still
not enough modems for a campus of
A&M’s size.
“We need in the range of 2,000
modems for this campus,” he said.
The addition of these modems is
part of a long range process.
The first step is the immediate
purchase of more equipment, such as
the modems. The next step is the cre
ation of a long term plan for funding.
Currently, there is money set aside
from student computer access fees
for special projects like the modem
increase.
However, CIS needs to find fund
ing for the annual operating cost that
will increase with the number of,
modems. CIS must also invest in
changing technology that often
quickly becomes obsolete.
“This is a long term approach,”
Dinkel said. “As the services improve,
demand will increase, and the need
for more modems will increase.”
A log-in restriction will continue to
be in place ensuring the maximum
availability of access. The limits are
two hours during busy hours and four
hours during slow periods. In addi
tion, there are 32 modems reserved
for express connections with a 10
minute time limit.
Schedule Change
The fourth day of class, Tuesday, Jan. 21,
will be the last day to drop classes with no
record. The fifth day of class, Wednesday, Jan.
22, will be the last day to add classes, enroll
in the University and will begin the Q-Drop pe
riod. The two days missed due to bad weath
er will not be made up. All other calendar
dates will remain the same.
The Battalion
INSIDETODAY
HEARTBREAKER Horns run past
Aggies in overtime, 86-76.
Sport^Page 5
Aggielife Page 3
Opinion Page?
State Page 8