er 26,195] i
104™ YEAR • ISSUE 21 • 10 PAGES
COLLEGE STATION • TX
TODAY
TOMORROW
See extended forecast. Page 2.
MONDAY • SEPTEMBER 29* 1997
&M student
^cognized by ASAE
Russell Alan Persyn, a senior
ricultural engineering major, was
jcted president of the National
immunity of Pre-professionals, a
rtof ASAE, the professional soci-
)iof engineering in agricultural,
odand biological systems.
He received the President’s Ci-
tion Award at the ASAE national
eeting in August for his leader-
lip.
Persyn helped consolidate the
itional Council of Student Mecha-
ration Branches and the National
luncil of Student Engineering
anches into the pre-professionals
[anization.
He also is president of the Texas
branch of ASAE.
Iggie engineers
eceive award
A team of mechanical engineers
im Texas A&M received second
ice in the Best Paper competition
the 1997 American Society of
gineering Education/Gulf-South-
st Section (ASEE/GSW) Confer
ee in Houston earlier this year.
Team members professor Jerry
ton, associate professor Mike
:Dermott, assistant professor
viChona and graduate students
chael Billetdeaux, Matt
itenot and George Rabroker
)te the paper about the Texas
Mteam that won first place at
11996 Propane Vehicle Chal-
ige in Canada.
Wo profs named
enior Fellows
faculty members Dimitris
lagoudas, associate professor
Jerospace engineering, and Den :
O'Neal, a professor of mechani-
engineering, were named as
:as Engineering Experiment Sta-
(TEES) Senior Fellows Sept. 22.
|Afaculty member must be
ed as a TEES Fellow three con-
:utive years to be named as a
S Senior Fellow. Faculty are rec-
ized as TEES Fellows for their re-
rch achievements.
EES Senior Fellows and Fellows
iJeive awards of $5,000 to sup-
their research activities.
our engineering
iculty honored
Four Dwight Look College of Engi-
ering faculty members received
as A&M University Association of
rmer Students Distinguished
aching Awards Sept. 22.
The recipients were Reza Langari,
sociate professor of mechanical
jneering; Lee L. Lowery Jr., a civil
jneering professor; Dennis
eal, mechanical engineering pro-
sorand W. Dan Reece, associate
lessor of nuclear engineering.
pt. 26
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See Page 4
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xas A&M Football Team
ps UNT, 38-10, after
cond-half rally.
See Page 7
Tlix) itrions: Students shou,d
ke initiative in preventing
> cohol abuse among peers.
See Page 9
online
http://bat-web.tairm.edu
ook up with state and
itional news through The
ire, AP’s 24-hour online
iws service.
Regents OK health facility integration
By Jenara Kocks
Staff writer
The Texas A&M System Board of Regents
authorized Chancellor Dr. Barry Thomp
son to create a Health Science Center con
solidating the health education facilities in
the System.
The consolidation must be approved by
the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board in January 1998 before it can be im
plemented.
Thompson said consolidating the facilities
will improve health and health education for
people in Texas.
He said A&M’s school of rural health is
working on improving vaccination and im
munization in Texas.
“This is a very exciting thing to me, re
sponding to people’s needs in most rural ar
eas, where people have very little health care
services,” Thompson said.
Kathy Harris, senior communications
specialist for the System, said the consoli
dation of A&M health programs will bring
medical entities affiliated with the System
together under one administrator. She said
it will encourage collaboration and better
use of resources.
Dr. Walter D. Wilkerson, chair of the Texas
State Board of Health, said the board is excit
ed about the consolidation.
“There is a great need in the state of Texas
for this type of activity,” he said, “and I’m
proud to endorse it on behalf of the Texas
State Board of Health.”
Dr. J. Charles Lee, head coordinator of the
System-wide health science center and vice
chancellor for research, planning and con
tinuing education, said consolidation will
take 12 to 18 months He said the center
should be completed by September 1999.
In other business:
• The regents awarded nine System fac
ulty members with the Regents Professor
Service Award, which was created last year.
Thompson said the award recognizes excel
lence within the System. He said 13 of the
4,700 System faculty members can receive
the award.
Dr. Charles D. Johnson, a psychology pro
fessor, and Dr. Steven H. Murdock, a sociolo
gy professor, both of A&M, received the
award. Dr. Calvin B. Parnell Jr., an agricultur
al engineering professor at the Texas Agricul
tural Experiment Station, and Dr. John A.
Weese, professor and head of engineering
technology at the Texas Engineering Experi
ment Station also received the award.
Board chair Don Powell and Thompson
presented recipients with plaques, certifi
cates and medallions. Recipients also will be
awarded $3,000 each year for the next three
years.
•The Board approved plans and construc
tion bids for three future structures on the
A&M campus.
Please see Regents on Page 2.
APPROVED
Lj Health Science Center
Cl Child care center
nr
M Easterwood Airport Rescue
K Firefighting Facility
m Two grass football fields
HELEN CLANCY/The Battalion
Free ride
AMY DUNLAP/The Battalion
Collins Johnson, a sophomore international business major, enjoys a game of golf Sunday af
ternoon at the Texas A&M golf course.
Corps marches in
Fort Worth parade
By Amanda Smith
Staff writer
The Texas A&M Corps of Cadets
marched through the streets of downtown
Fort Worth before the A&M-University of
North Texas football game this weekend.
More than 2,000 cadets participated in
the Corps trip Saturday morning.
Danny Feather, Corps commander and
a senior economics major, said the audi
ence that came to watch the parade ex
ceeded his expectations.
“There was a huge crowd,” he said.
“Everything went well. We had such an en
thusiastic crowd.”
Feather said cadets had to find trans
portation and lodging for the weekend.
“It is an exercise in readiness,” he said.
“This is where the Aggie family starts. A lot of
times you stay with your buddy’s family.”
Eric Tanner, an Aggie Band member and
a senior speech communications major, said
Corps trips provide cadets with an opportu
nity to spend a weekend with their buddies.
‘ It is a general trip to spend time to
gether,” he said. “It is a great chance for the
Corps to be present.”
Feather said the presence of the Corps
in other Texas cities also aids in recruitment
of future Corps members.
He said the Corps usually takes two trips
each fall semester, but the A&M’s conference
football schedule does not allow tliem to take
two trips this year. Fort Worth and Houston
are two traditional sites for Corps trips.
Dillard Stone, Class of ’80, a former
deputy Corps commander and a Fort
Worth resident, was not able to attend Sat
urday’s parade but said he remembers the
Corps trips he took 20 years ago.
“I remember my freshman year going to
Dallas,” Stone said. “There were probably 16
to 18 of us between two hotel rooms. From the
vantage point of 20 years ago, the cadets from
rural areas had an exposure to urban life.”
Feather said the trips are a chance to es
cape to a different setting for the weekend.
He said the Corps may take a trip in the
spring semester to make up for the second
trip traditionally taken in the fall.
Paul Jackman, a cadet and a freshman civ
il engineering major, said he looks forward to
the next Corps trip. He said the trip built ca
maraderie among his freshman buddies.
“I though it was a whole lot of fun be
cause I got to meet with my fish buddies,”
he said.
The Battalion named
among nation’s ten best
University encourages
safety during Bonfire cut
By Karie Fehler
Staff writer
Bonfire cut site is in Hearne again this year,
and Bonfire leaders say the safety of those
traveling to and working at the site will be the
priority of Texas A&M.
Bonfire leaders and A&M faculty met last
week to discuss safety practices at Bonfire ac
tivities after a junior redpot suffered from a
heat stroke September 20 while working at
cut site.
Blaine Lewis, a junior redpot and a man
agement major, said the redpot has been re
leased from the hospital and is recuperating
with his family in San Antonio. He said the stu
dent will return to A&M soon.
This year’s cut site is the same as the 1996
cut site, northwest of Hearne in Milam Coun
ty, about 42 miles from the A&M campus.
John Gallemore, Head Stack and a senior
agricultural business major, said precautions
are being taken to ensure safe travel condi
tions for those going to cut.
Please see Bonfire on Page 2.
By Matt Weber
News editor
The Battalion has been named one of the
top 10 newspapers of its publication fre
quency and school size in the nation by the
Associated Collegiate Press and the Newspa
per Association of America Foundation.
The newspaper was named a 1996-97
Newspaper Pacemaker finalist, an award
given annually. This is the second consec
utive year The Battalion was named a final
ist, and the third time it has gained this
recognition in the past five years.
Dr. Charles C. Self, head of the Texas
A&M Department of Journalism, said he
was excited about the nomination.
“It is not a surprise to me, but a confir
mation of my own judgment of the quality
of our paper,” he said. “It is a clear indica
tion The Battalion has established a system
of excellence in newspaper journalism.”
Robert Wegener, general manager of Stu
dent Publications, said the award reflects the
amount of work put into the newspaper.
“The fact that we have won three [Pace
maker finalist awards] in the past five years
is an indication of the dedication and high
caliber of the students we have on staff.”
The finalists will receive recognition at
the ACP/CMA College Media Convention
Oct. 30-Nov. 2 in Chicago. At the meeting,
national Pacemaker winners will be se
lected from the finalists.
Michael Landauer, editor in chief of The
Battalion for Fall ’96 and Class of‘97, said
the award is proof of the newspaper’s con
tinuing improvement.
“It goes to show that The Battalion keeps
getting better every semester,” he said. “The
people there have better equipment and re
sources than the people who were there
five years ago or 10 years ago. Getting this
award should make us work harder.”
The award recognizes the efforts of the
“Getting this award should make
us work harder.”
MICHAEL LANDAUER
FORMER EDITOR IN CHIEF OF THE BATTALION
Fall ’96, Spring ’97 and Summer ’97 Battal
ion staffs.
Helen Clancy, editor in chief ofThe Bat
talion for Fall ’97 and a senior English ma
jor, said the honor serves as an example for
Battalion staff members.
“This achievement reflects the countless
hours of dedication on behalf of Battalion
section editors and staffers,” Clancy said. “Al
though we have a relatively young staff this
semester, I’m optimistic that The Battalion
will continue to improve. If we can consis
tently perform at this level, there’s no reason
why we can’t win the Pacemaker every year.”
British business executive encourages international trade
By Bran dye Brown
Staff writer
A CEO from London said U.S.
businesses need to expand into
the international market to re
main competitive with the rest of
the world.
Margie Scardino, a CEO of
Pierce and Publishing Co. in Lon
don, spoke to more than 100 Texas
A&M students Friday morning as
part of the Executive Lecture Series
in the MBA program.
Scardino, one of the top female
executives in the United Kingdom,
said $800 billion will move from
U.S. to international investment.
“The U.S. needs to have a wider
world perspective, because soon
small- and medium-sized busi
nesses will be moving into places
most people have never heard of
because soon the national market
will not be big enough to satisfy
them," she said.
The Baylor graduate said Eng
land’s small market forced Pierce
and Publishing Co. to expand into
other markets.
She said for U.S. businesses to
look into other markets, U.S. gov
ernment policy needs to move
away from isolationism and pro
tectionism of its domestic market.
Scardino said the U.S. govern
ment is looking inward, becoming
less tolerant of other cultures and
less interested in the rest of the
world' as U.S. businesses are ex
panding into the international
market.
“The government of America
can survive for a while with domes
tic interests, but businesses cannot
survive without the international
market for their products,” she
said. “Don’t think that U. S. busi
nesses will be content to be locked
up in the U.S.”
Scardino said knowledge of oth
er cultures is important when con
ducting international business.
Please see Trade on Page 10.