The Battalion
lume 103 • Issue 100 • 2 Sections *14 Pages
The Batt Online: http:// bat-web.tamu.edu
Tuesday, February 25, 1997
Wl bill calls for stricter penalties
Jroposed Senate Bill 35
would lower the legal
blood alcohol content
from 0.07 to 0.00 for
minors in Texas.
By Benjamin Cheng
The Battalion
■nder-age driving while intoxicated
■be a costlier offense if a “zero toler-
bill proposed before the Texas Leg-
lure is passed.
Senate Bill 35 creates a separate offense
linors driving under the influence. It
((lowers the legal blood alcohol content
from 0.07 to 0.00 for minors and stiff
vel
ens penalties for all alcohol-related offens
es by minors.
The bill also increases the fines for mi
nor in possession offenses, and it suspends
the driver’s license of minors who commit
DWIs until they are 19.
Texas leads the nation in the number of al
cohol-related traffic fatalities among minors.
Dr. Maurice Dennis, a health and kine
siology professor, said minors represent 7.3
percent of licensed drivers in Texas, but ac
count for 13.3 percent of all DWI fatalities.
“It’s more evident that they’re over-rep
resented in traffic fatalities,” Dennis said.
Senate Bill 35 is one of several DWI
bills being considered by the Texas Leg
islature. An act passed by Congress man
dates that states pass a “zero tolerance”
law by October 1998 or they will lose fed
eral highway funding.
Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
Sgt. Laban Tascano said alcohol vendors are
responsible for verifying the age of those
who possess and purchase alcohol.
“If they allow you to possess, it’s against
the law,” Tascano said.
Kristi Fitzgerald, a freshman general
studies major, said she gets alcohol through
friends who are of age and friends who use
fake driver’s licenses.
Fitzgerald said some local clubs are lax
in preventing minors from possessing and
consuming alcohol.
“The people that work there know it
goes on,” she said. “They just turn the oth
er cheek.”
A Blinn freshman, who declined to be
identified, said he buys alcohol and enters
clubs with a fake driver’s license.
“It’s easy to get in with a fake ID,” he said.
“I don’t think they check pictures. They’ll
just look at the (birth)date.”
Tascano said employees of alcohol ven
dors are often careless about checking the
age of minors.
“That carelessness will eventually cause
someone a problem,” Tascano said.
Swifter prosecution and stiffer penal
ties against offenders and vendors are
needed to reduce MIP and DWI offenses,
Tascano said.
Dennis places the blame for minor in
possession offenses on the minor.
“No one holds a gun to their head and
makes them drink,” he said.
Dennis said minors are more at risk
when they drive while intoxicated be
cause they have less experience driving
and drinking alcoholic beverages and they
take more risks.
“It (the bill) is not picking on young peo
ple,” Dennis said.
Tascano favors the provision in the bill
that lowers the BAG for minors to 0.00.
“Why did they put 0.07 when if you’re
under 21, you’re not supposed to drink any
way?” Tascano said.
Dennis said Senate Bill 35 combines en
hanced laws with a behavioral change ed
ucation program.
“If the bill goes into law, without an ed
ucation program, it’s not going to be as ef
fective,” he said.
Dennis said similar “zero tolerance” bills
in other states have been effective.
“Maryland... experienced an 11 percent
decline after implementation of a zero tol
erance law,” Dennis said, in a press release,
“and up to a 50 percent decline when cou
pled with public education programs.”
rmy of God' claims
lability for bombings
■TLANTA (AP) — The FBI re
nt'd a letter Monday claiming re-
jonsibility for both the abortion
■c bombings in Atlanta last
ojuh and Friday’s bombing at a
Ind lesbian nightclub.
(Tlie letter, purportedly from a
DUp called the Army of God, was
ailed to the Reuters news agency
Trday and was turned over to the
Jon Monday.
■61 spokesperson Jay Spadafore
DUld not comment on the au-
fnticity of the letter. Robert,
jler, Reuters’ domestic news edi-
rin Washington, D.C., described
Thandwritten, 2 1 / 2 pages long,
lunsigned.”
| The letter threatened “total war”
Inst the federal government, said
Ition would not be tolerated and
tised future attacks on homo-
jials. It also sought to set up a sys-
1 so that claims of responsibility
jld be confirmed after future
jibings, Reuters reported.
HWe’re taking it seriously. We’re
oking into the validity of the let-
|and the claims that they’re
Ting,” said Pamela Swanson, a
jjkesperson for the Georgia Bu-
i of Investigation.
The Army of God is “more of a
manual than a group,” said Mary
Ann Mauney, research director for
the Center for Democratic Renew
al, a group that keeps track of ter
rorist groups.
“It was put out by an anti-abor
tion group and targets how to de
stroy abortion clinics. It gives in
structions on how to make bombs,”
she said.
A nail-laden device exploded
Friday on a rear patio area of The
Otherside Lounge, injuring five
people. Police found a second
bomb shortly after arriving at the
scene. It was detonated with a re
mote-control robot.
In Washington, President Clin
ton addressed the incident, telling
an audience at a fund-raiser that
everyone must fight hate crimes.
“I’d like to say the recent bomb
ing of the gay night club in Atlanta
reminds us that this work is not
over,” Clinton said. “That was
wrong and we have to stand against
those things.”
Authorities continue to investigate
possible links between the nightclub
bombing, the two blasts at a Sandy
Springs abortion clinic on Jan. 16, and
a bomb explosion at Centennial
Olympic Park last summer.
Come on Down!
Ryan Rogers, The Battalion
Martha Arzayus, a freshman general studies major, models the items, up for bid in The Price is
Right booth at an interactive display sponsored by CBS at the MSC Monday afternoon.
Wisdom of Experience
hompson reflects on career goals, challenges
By Kevin Cummings
The Battalion
Dr. Barry B. Thompson has spent his life applying
|)is dedication to honor, compassion and duty to his
3al of improving education.
Thompson, chancellor of the Texas A&M Uni-
lersity System, is in charge of 10 universities, eight
fate agencies, more than 22,000 employees and
|5,000 students.
Thompson began his educational career as a
(ublic school teacher, but quickly moved into ad-
linistrative positions. By the age of 25, he was
Irincipal of Dalhart High School. He went on to
[old the positions of chief academic officer and
lice president for academic affairs at East Texas
jtate University and president of Tarleton State
|niversity and West Texas A&M University.
Building on his history as a public educator and
|dministrator, Thompson ended a short retirement
i assume a role as head of the Texas A&M Universi-
r System in 1994.
He said he was willing to give up retirement be-
ause he could help the System.
“The reason I took it (the job) is because they
klked about duty,” he said. “I felt it was my duty. It’s
forth 80 hours a week of my time to try to elevate the
pern to the level it deserves, and I believe in five to
»years we will be there.”
Named chancellor of the A&M System at a time
(hen its reputation was suffering, Thompson took
fitiative to turn things around. He has since deval
ued the Center for Leadership in Higher Education,
(program intended to identify potential leaders in
fe A&M system and provide them with the training
id education necessary to serve A&M in the future.
J He has overseen the establishment of the Texas
(igher Education Coalition and reorganized the sys-
|m administrative and general offices.
Thompson believes success can be found
[rough trying to make a positive impact on soci-
y. He began his long career in education in an at-
(mpt to make a difference.
“The modus operandi is always the same — peo-
(e who are honorable, people who believe in giving
Jmething back to society— tend to do better than
(ose who don’t,” he said.
“Success is not driving a Lexus, or a Hummer, or
Jen a Dodge diesel truck. The bottom line is mak-
(g a difference.”
Thompson said the secret to success, in his role,
[increasing the performance of everybody involved.
T try to create an environment in which good peo-
Photo provided by: Chancellor's Office
Dr. Barry Thompson, TAMU System chancellor,
uses his experience as a public educator to raise
standards and implement change.
pie feel they have some ownership — where they get
recognized for high performance — and then you just
keep raisingthe standard,” he said. “I classify myself as
the head cheerleader. I just try to motivate people.”
Kathy Harris, a communication specialist in
the chancellor’s office, said Thompson’s applica
tion of his intelligence for the public good makes
him successful.
“Dr. Thompson is one of the most inspirational
people I’ve ever met, and it’s an honor to work with
him,” Harris said. “When your leader is passionate
about what he believes, and what the A&M system is
doing for Texans, it’s easy to be passionate yourself.”
Thompson’s coworkers, however, may not be the
ones who know him best. Thompson works in College
Station five days a week, then he and his wife steal away
to his beloved ranch in Pine Wood, just two hours away.
There he raises Herefords, appaloosas, and quar
ter horses, and with the help of his surroundings and
his neighbors, he defines himself.
See Thompson, Page 6
Spring candidates file for positions
Student leaders anticipate new methods of selection
By Laura Oliveira
The Battalion
Student leader positions are up
for grabs and the spring elections
will bring changes to the selection
of yell leaders, Resident Hall Associ
ation positions, and possibly Stu
dent Senate seats.
Jason Jaynes, election commis
sioner and a junior computer sci
ence major, said the number of can
didates who want to run for yell
leader positions is not likely to in
crease because of the implementa
tion of run-offs.
“A lot of people who are running
for yell leader were already going to
run,” he said. “There might be a
couple of people who are encour
aged because of the run-offs, but I
have not seen an increase.”
Student Senate is pushing for the
senate restructuring bill, which will
► Off-Campus Aggies
reduce the number of Northside,
Southside, and off-campus seats.
The bill will be voted on Wednesday
and, if passed, also will give caucus
leaders more authority.
Chris Reed, speaker of the Stu
dent Senate and a senior finance
major, said decreasing the Senate
openings and centralizing power
within the Senate will force candi
dates to rely less on the number
game and do more hardcore cam
paigning.
“Senators will have to go out and
talk to student organizations and
the student body, find out what
their constituents want and then
solicit the student’s opinions back
to the senate,” he said.
RFIA has added two positions,
vice president of programs and vice
president of administration, that
will asstime the duties of secretary
and treasurer to the ballot.
Filing began Monday and will
continue through 5 p.m. Friday. In
terested students can fill out forms
in 143 Koldus Building. Candidates
must pay a fee and collect signa
tures to declare candidacy.
Last year’s general election
brought approximately 25 percent
of the student body to the polls.
Jaynes said in comparison to other
universities such as Arizona State
University and California State in
Sacramento, voting participation at
A&M is high.
“They (other universities) are
lucky to get 5 to 10 percent to vote
in their elections,” he said. “They
are always impressed by the num
ber we get to vote in our elections.”
Jaynes said A&M has a large vot
er turnout because of student par
ticipation and interest.
See Positions, Page 6
Members alter voting procedures
By Marissa Alanis
The Battalion
Weak leadership experiences and a disproportion
ate number of off-campus students voting for the Off-
Campus Aggies officers have prompted OCA to change
its voting procedures.
Executive committee members of Off-Campus Ag
gies have decided not to allow the student body to vote
on its four officer positions during the student body
general elections in March.
Instead, the 23 member executive staff will have an
OCA panel of two advisers and three outgoing mem
bers select the officers.
Usually, A&M students elect the president, vice-
president, secretary and treasurer of OCA through the
general student body election voting ballot compiled
by the election commission.
Candidates for the OCA positions now must first
submit an application and then undergo an interview
conducted by the OCA panel.
David Shilson, OCA president and a junior political
science major, said in elections last year about 850 stu
dents voted for the officers when there were only 400
dues-paying members. He said the dues-paying mem
bers were not adequately represented.
Amanda Green, OCA student relations director and a
junior political science and journalism major, wants this
year’s 300 dues-paying members to decide who is going
to be in charge instead of allowing non-members to vote.
“This is just a way to ensure and to empower our
members to have their choice,” Green said.
OCA is a social organization with members who
pay dues, similar to how a fraternity or sorority oper
ates, she said.
See Voting, Page 6