"ServingTexasA&M Since 1893”
The Battalion
olume K) i • Ismk* 115* 10 Pages
The Balt Online: http:// bat-web.tanui.edu
Tuesday, March 25, 1997
azing allegations lead to suspensions
ish Drill Team advisers told to clear out of Quadrangle immediately
By Jackie Vratil
The Battalion
nine student advisers to the
|h Drill Team were temporarily
)pended Monday evening follow-
allegations of hazing and as-
Jilt. Six sophomores, two juniors,
one senior were told by Maj.
In. M.T. “Ted” Hopgood, com-
jindant of the Corps of Cadets, to
Jve the Quadrangle immediately.
■A University Relations press re-
I |se said the suspension resulted
I lin one member of the team
I larging the advisers with physi
cally assaulting him in a Corps res
ident hall Saturday night, March 22.
Monday, two former members of
the team reported incidents of pos
sible hazing by the same advisers.
Steve Foster, Corps comman
der and a senior political science
major, said the allegations of as
sault have been made and the
Corps is working with the Univer
sity Police Department in every
way possible.
“It’s going to take some strict
scrutiny and some truthful testimo
ny to resolve the problem,” he said.
Foster said Hopgood took disci
plinary action by
telling all nine
students to leave
the quad.
“They were all
told to clear out of
the Corps area for
the night, and
move their things
out tomorrow,”
Foster said.
Hopgood ex
plained his rea-
son for suspending the cadets in a
press release.
“Texas A&M will not tolerate haz
u Texas A&M will
not tolerate hazing
within the Corps
or its associated
organizations.”
Maj. Gen. Hopgood
Corps of Cadets commandant
ing within the Corps
or its associated or
ganizations,” he
said. “I find it per
sonally distasteful
and far from the
ideals that the
Corps and the Uni
versity promote.”
BobWiatt, direc
tor of UPD, said this
case, although in-
MiiiiiiiwiiiMBBKPi volving allegations
of assault, cannot be looked at with
any more or less severity than previ
ous hazing incidents.
“Each incident is an overt vio
lation [of] Corps rules [and] Uni
versity rules, as well as Texas
rules,” he said. “Therefore, you
can’t really call any incident more
serious than the others.”
In the past, Hopgood has taken
action against infractions by dis
banding one unit for violating
Corps and University rules
against hazing.
Wiatt said he applauds Hopgood’s
swift action involving this matter.
“We are not going to tolerate any
kind of hazing,” he said.
Wiatt said hazing can be as sim
ple as telling somebody to drink a
beer, but assault includes the phys
ical part of hazing.
“An assault charge is when
somebody physically ‘whops’ you,
or if somebody punches you in the
nose,” he said.
Foster said the freshmen showed
no emotion when they were told
the specifics of the action being tak
en against their upperclassmen.
“We answered some of their
questions,” he said, “but they really
just sat there and listened.”
See Allegations, Page 10
PS
miMwi
T r A'#
W f.
■1
» m
?«II1
S'lPi
s’4
Defend
Yourself
Amy Dunlap, The Battalion
Megan Stanley, a sophomore poultry science major,
tries to stop Julie Daves, a senior speech communication
major, from stabbing her in a self defense class Monday.
Bill limits settlement payments
Proposal would provide uniform standards in state universities
By Benjamin Cheng
The Battalion
The benefits university administrators
sometimes receive when they leave their posi
tions will be limited if the Texas Legislature
passes a bill authored by Sen. Steve Ogden.
The bill passed unanimously in the Senate
and currently is awaiting approval in the House
of Representatives. The bill limits the settle
ment payments administrators receive when
asked to leave their positions.
Ogden said the bill was prompted by news
paper articles printed in the Houston Chroni
cle two years ago. The articles documented
cases at the University of Houston and Texas
Southern University in which outgoing ad
ministrators were paid $750,000 and $216,000,
respectively, to leave. Ogden said it is not un
common for university administrators to be
paid substantial amounts to leave.
“They wanted to keep things quiet,” Og
den said.
Texas A&M President Ray Bowen said the
people who make such decisions should be
held responsible for their actions. Instead of a
bill, Bowen said, supervisors such as the Board
of Regents and the governor should correct the
mistakes of others.
“It’s awfully hard for the Senate to legislate
common sense,” he said.
Rep. Irma Rangel, chair of the House higher
education committee, said the bill provides uni
form standards within the state universities.
“I think the legislature needs to issue some
directions to the universities,” Rangel said.
Although Bowen does not oppose the bill,
he does not foresee it making those in charge
more responsible for their actions.
“The objectives are noble,” he said, “but to
build it into state law is not necessary.”
Bowen said the problems addressed in the
bill have not occurred at A&M during his three-
year presidency.
Ogden said the bill has received little oppo
sition as University of Texas Chancellor
William Cunningham and Texas A&M Chan
cellor Barry Thompson both testified before
the Senate in favor of the bill.
Ogden said the most significant aspect of
the bill is its limitation of excessive salaries for
administrators who return to teaching. Ogden
said universities should avoid a perceived dou
ble standard and need to run an operation the
average worker says is fair.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Ogden said.
Other provisions in the bill limit adminis
trative contracts to three years and grant tenure
and development leave on a consistent basis
with faculty.
A&M may not fund bike program
Liability risks cause
reluctancy in funding
of the Borrow-a-Bike
program.
By Erica Roy
The Battalion
The Borrow-a-Bike program unani
mously approved by the Texas A&M Student
Senate may not be sponsored by the ad
ministration, a University official said.
A fleet of 35-50 yellow bicycles would
have been distributed for public use on
campus beginning March 16 following the
Senate decision.
The program was to use abandoned bicy
cles confiscated by Parking, Traffic and Trans
portation. PTTS would paint the bicycles, the
University Police Department would register
them and volunteers would repair them.
DELAYED |
Dr. Carolyn Adair, director for Student
Activities, said the decision not to sponsor
the program has not been made officially.
Adair said the program was a
good idea, but the University
could not sponsor the pro
gram because of the liability
risks involved.
“If an accident happens
and it is (because of) a faulty
piece of equipment (on the bi
cycle), then the University is re
sponsible,” Adair said. The stu
dent could then sue the
University, she said.
A&M may not be able to regularly check
every bicycle for damages, Adair said.
“We have no idea of knowing where these
bicycles go once they are released,” she said.
Cass Burton, a freshman senator
and a political science major, has
worked on implementing the program
since September.
Burton said he understands the Universi-
James Palmer, The Battalion
ty does not want to sponsor the program be
cause of liability risks, but he thought the pos
itive aspects of the program would override
the dangers.
Nl “I expected the administra-
\ tion to work with me,” Burton
| said. “I thought we’d be able to
find a way around it.”
Burton said he assumed a
t “ride at your own risk” clause on
the bicycles would release the
University from any liability.
He said an entity is needed to
accept responsibility for the pro
gram, before it can be started.
Burton has three options to find an organi
zation to sponsor Borrow-a-Bike.
He can ask the cities of Bryan or College
Station, a non-profit organization in the
community or he can start a non-profit or
ganization himself.
The bicycles have been repaired and are
ready to be painted. Adair said she does not
know when the official decision will be made.
SC Council revises candidate campaign policy
Under the new policy,
the MSC cannot
support any candidate
in the student body
elections.
By Erica Roy
The Battalion
The Memorial Student Center
louncil clarified and more clear-
defined the MSC policy on
mpaigning for student body
elections last night.
The policy does not allow the
MSC to formally or informally
support any candidate in the stu
dent body elections.
Chris Williams, MSC president
and a senior political science and
speech communication major, said
the new policy reinforces the old
one, and it answers questions MSC
members had about the policy.
“It is an extension of our origi
nal policy,” Williams said.
Nellson Burns, the incoming
MSC president and a senior in
ternational studies major, said
the policy helped explain the
MSC’s stand on campaigning in
the student center.
“I think it (the revised policy)
does two things,” Burns said.
“First, it formalizes existing
election policies concerning
the student center. Second, it
outlines appropriate behavior
for MSC volunteers.”
Williams said the MSC wants
to provide an inclusive environ
ment for the student body, and
supporting one candidate does
not allow the MSC to do that.
“This is their (the student
body’s) living room,” he said,
“and you don’t have political can
didates in your living room telling
you how to vote.”
The revision of the policy is con
sistent with the Student Government
Election Commission regulations.
The policy guidelines include:
•Candidates may not cam
paign in the University Center,
unless the candidate was invited
to a meeting.
•Campaign materials cannot
be displayed in the University
Center, unless the candidate is
using them to address a meeting.
•Campaigning cannot take place
at MSC programs, unless the pro
gram is sponsoring the candidates
for educational reasons.
•MSC resources, such as the
computer lab, copying machines,
e-mail list serves, telephones,
physical space and financial re
sources, cannot be used for cam
paign purposes.
Williams said the original policy
was vague and did not cover all as
pects of the MSC. The new policy
makes it clear that no campaigning
can take place in the MSC.
Before the revised policy, can
didates approached the MSC
Film Society wanting to place ad
vertisements before the showing
of films. Under the original poli
cy, it was not clear whether this
would be allowed.
The new policy clarifies this
question.
Williams said since the MSC
approved this policy, they must
also ensure that the guidelines
are enforced.
“Not only is it the Election
Commission’s responsibility to
enforce this, it is also ours,”
Williams said.
The Battalion
IN SI DETODAY
CD CLUBS: They seem to
offer terrific deals, but many
students say they are more
trouble than they are worth.
Aggielife, Page 3
Weather
Sports
Opinion
Page 2
Page 5
Page 9
Aviles wants to ensure equal access to A&M
He is one of three new regents
appointed by Gov. Bush in
January.
By Erica Roy
The Battalion
In 1949, Dr. Dionel “Don” Aviles came to the
United States from Ponce, Puerto Rico at age 17
to begin his lifelong relationship with Texas A&M
University. This week he will begin his term as a
member of the Board of Regents.
Gov. George W. Bush appointed Aviles, along
with Anne Armstrong and Erie Nye, in January
of this year to replace outgoing regents Chair
Mary Nan West, Alison Brisco and Royce E.
Wisenbaker.
Aviles is the owner and
president of Aviles Engineer
ing Corporation in Houston,
a company he started 16
years ago. The company spe
cializes in geotechnical and
environmental engineering
services and construction
material testing.
Aviles received his bache
lor’s, master’s and doctorate
degrees from Texas A&M.
“As a graduate of Texas A&M, being appoint
ed a regent has to be one of the greatest honors,”
he said. “To be able to go back and guide the Uni
versity and the other schools in the system is the
greatest honor I have ever received.”
Dr. Leo Sayaverdra, deputy chancellor for aca
demic institutions and agencies, said Aviles’
Aviles
three A&M degrees provide him with experience
and knowledge of A&M.
“He clearly understands the philosophy of the
institution and the system,” Sayaverdra said. “As
you might say, ‘He bleeds maroon.’”
In 1993, Aviles retired from the U.S. Army Re
serve with the rank of major general.
Aviles said his business and military back
ground will help him perform his job as regent.
“The combination of my business experi
ence and military experience have built a
good basis to serve the system in a good ca
pacity,” he said.
Dr. Jerry Gaston, vice president for admin
istration, said Aviles’ professional perspective
and his status as a former student will enable
Aviles to understand the needs of Texas A&M.
See Regent, Page 10