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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 8, 1997)
Te x a s A &[ M University /VPWPW* ■ TODAY HI TOMORROW 94 74 104™ YEAR • ISSUE 6*12 PACES COLLEGE STATION • TX See extended forecast. Page 12. MONDAY • SEPTEMBER 8 • 1997 > H W > Organizations gather for Open House a CJ v < By Amanda Smith Staff writer ■ MSC Open House offered students the opportunity to lirn about different organizations at A&M yesterday. ■ MSC Public Relations sponsored the event from 2 p.m. o 6 p.m. ■ Eddie Hoover, public relations director of the MSC and a fenior journalism major, coordinated the event, which in- ’juded over 250 organizations. The event usually draws over 10,000 students, he said. l“Open House is probably the only time that so many 6r- ■lizations are gathered in one place,” he said. “It’s really great freshmen.” ■ Shiju Raju, a freshman aerospace engineering major, said ie hoped to find organizations relating to his major and eth ic background. I “I am planning to go visit the Indian Student Associa- idn,” Raju said. “I am also trying to find an organization for jngineers.” ■ Gina Miori, vice president for external marketing for the djSC and a junior speech communications major, said Open $>use features a number of ways to become involved in or- miizations both inside and outside the academic realm. ■ “One of the special opportunities that Texas A&M offers is he other education’,” Miori said. “It gives you an opportuni- yto learn more than what you learn sitting behind a desk.” ■Although Open House draws many freshmen looking for tjvay to become involved at Texas A&M, the event also at- rat ts upperclassmen. ■Yong Guan, a computer science graduate student from Bei- iity, said he wanted to find an organization to help ease his transition to the English language and American culture. “I hope that I can find a group to help me better commu nicate with people,” Guan said. Open House also helps transfer students find on-campus organizations to join. Janie Sams, a transfer student and a sophomore history major, said she wanted to find extracurricular activities to par ticipate in at the Open House. “I am interested in getting involved in community-service organizations and academic organizations,” she said. Representatives from on-campus organizations gave stu dents pamphlets and showed pictures and videos to inform students about their organizations. Katie DuFour, a committee chair for Replant, said she hoped to better inform students interested in replenishing the tree supply used to build Bonfire. “We hope to inform people about Replant,” she said. “We hope to acquire some freshmen so that we can keep them in volved a while.” Felicia Scott, an assistant to the vice president of student affairs, said she informed students of ways to access Dr. J. Mal- on Southerland, the vice president of student affairs. “We are primarily trying to get students to see that our vice president is available to students,” Scott said. Entertainment also was provided by different organiza tions at Open House. Tye Botting, president of the TAMU Kubg Fu Club and a nuclear chemistry graduate student, assisted in a visual demonstration in the MSC Flagroom during Open House. “We want to let people know that we are here,” Botting said. “We want to show them how fun Chinese martial arts is.” Other on-campus organizations that gave performances RYAN ROGERSAhe Battalion Richard Nolison, a senior biomedical science and business major, distributes information about the Aggie United Way Pact. included Fade to Black, TAMU Jump Rope Club, TAMU Mod ern Amis Club, Aggie Wranglers, Freudian Slip, Singing Cadets, Ballet Folklorico and the TAMU Fencing Club. Nellson Burns, the MSC president and a senior internation al studies major, said that Open House provides an opportuni ty for any student to become involved in campus life at A&M. “There is a whole lot of information,” Burns said. “I would suggest that students find one service organization related to their major and one additional organization.” In addition to the MSC Open House, the MSC also will hold Informational Night Sept. 8 in MSC 224. Mew council involves Rush activities wrap up older’ A&M seniors By Daniel Thevis Staff writer The “Dead Zip” Council was established this semester to give 5th- Jar and older seniors the opportunity to stay involved at Texas A&M. The council is open to any undergraduate classified as a senior with jfeore than 8 semesters and to all 5th-year and older seniors. 1 Andrea Ivers, council president and a senior agricultural systems man- igement major, said she had talked to some older seniors who had been nvolved in glass councils, Student Senate or the Corps of Cadets during Jeir first four years at A&M. She said she started the Dead Zip Council to give these students an |?enue for campus participation. Please see Council on Page 12. By Rachel George Staff writer Interfraternity Council Fall Rush ended Friday with “Bid Day,” as rushees ran down the stairs of the Systems Administration Build ing to join their fraternities. More than 400 Texas A&M stu dents participated in the Rush Week events, which kicked off Aug. 31 with an informal meeting at the MSC. Eric Vroonland, IFC president and a senior finance major, said this year’s Rush was successful. “It (Rush) went very smoothly for us, considering it was a transi tional year,” he said. Rush was held earlier in the se mester this year than in past years to help rushees and fraternity members get settled into their fra ternities before classes and school work began. Also, Dave Deangelous took the position of IFC adviser in August. Vroonland said Deangelous will be beneficial to IFC. “He’s done really well in his tran sition here to Texas A&M,” he said. “We are really excited about his positive outlook and attitude.” During the week, rushees partic ipated in differeht Rush events, such as date parties, to learn more about their individual fraternities. Vroonland said the gatherings provided a relaxed atmosphere for rushees to meet fraternity members and each other and to ask questions. Beau Reyenga, a Phi Sigma Kappa pledge and a freshman general studies major, said he en joyed Rush. “I wasn’t planning on rushing when I arrived here, but the nice people I met changed my mind,” Reyenga said. “I’m very happy I did because I made a lot of close friends.” Vroonland said although the death of the Louisiana State Univer sity fraternity member in August gave fraternities across the United States a negative image, the death did not deter A&M students from rushing, as more men participated in Rush this year than last year. TOUCHDOWN! j Aggies open with win over Sam Houston, 59-6 T he huge sigh of relief you heard late Saturday afternoon came courtesy of Dante Hall. Just as the Aggie natives began to rum ble ‘here we go again,’ the sophomore tail back scored from five yards out to break open a 7-6 game and the Texas A&M Foot ball Team never looked back, cruising to a 59-6 victory over Sam Houston State Uni versity Saturday at Kyle Field. Story by Chris Ferrell Photography by Dave House Top: Sophomore tailback Dante Hall had 221 yards of total offense including 169 yards rushing on 11 carries and two touchdowns. Junior tailback Sirr Parker added three touchdowns on the day. Aggie backs rushed for eight touchdowns. Center: A&M quarterbacks Branndon Stewart and Randy McCown split time. Stewart was eight of 12 for 110 yards and McCown was seven of 14 for 148 yards. Neither was intercepted. Bottom: The Wrecking Crew took form after the first quarter and limited the Bearkats to 238 yards on the day. Sophomore linebacker Sean Coryatt led the Aggies with 13 tackles and sophomore cornerback Sedrick Curry inter cepted a pass and recovered a fumble. Texas ranks third in benefit cuts DALLAS (AP) — Texas is among the three states with the highest percentage of children being cut from disability benefits, according to figures from the Social Security Administration. More than 6,000 children al ready have been cut. The rate of rejection in the Texas cases being reviewed is averaging about 78 percent. Supporters of the tighter guide lines, established under the 1996 welfare law, said they are de signed to curtail fraud and abuse. They said the savings from the new federal Supplemental Security Income guidelines could be as high as $8 billion over the next five years. Also, families denied benefits have the right to appeal. “We have done everything in our power to lessen the impact of the new law on children with dis abilities," said Philip Gambino, a spokesperson for the Social Secu rity Administration. Banks refuse tax payment play WASHINGTON (AP) — The $152 billion tax cut bill was supposed to make life easier by allowing taxpay ers to use credit cards to pay their federal taxes. Credit card junkies rubbed their hands at the prospect of racking up frequent flier miles by paying the IRS with plastic. But, alas, the fine print of the tax bill poses a major obstacle. Major credit card companies — Visa, MasterCard and American Express — say their member banks aren’t expected to do business with the IRS because the tax bill —- now law — does not allow the federal government to pay the banks the typical merchant fees for credit card transactions. Citizens debate future of tunnel HOUSTON (AP) — Artificial-reef fans were excited: The closed Bay- town Tunnel was going to be floated into the Gulf of Mexico and sunk as a fish preserve. Now they are bitter, because the state transportation de partment instead has hired a com pany that plans to crush the 36-foot diameter, concrete passageway. “All the Department of Trans portation can say is, we’re saving you money,” said Jim Morrison, chairman of the state's Artificial Reef Advisory Committee. “It’s our tunnel, the people’s tun nel. ... Texans would have had an opportunity to create something that nobody else could do,” he said. Earlier this year, the transporta tion department had planned to re move the tunnel, float it down the Houston Ship Channel and sink it 30 miles south of Galveston. Under a 1953 contract with the Army Corps of Engineers, the tunnel was to be removed when it no longer carried traffic. JL I Wrestlemania: Professional wrestling may be staged, but still provides entertainment. See Page 4. m Buffin: Branndon Stewart lived up to last pre-season’s billing in Aggie victory. See Page 7 opinion Clancy: Professors should spend less time on trivial mat ters and focus on teaching. See Page 11 online http://bat-web.tamu.edu Hook up with state and na tional news through The Wire, AP’s 24-hour online news service.