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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1997)
Texas A & M University . i i TODAY 84 61 TOMORROW YEAR • ISSUE 36 • 10 PAGES ig evenil - culiurl g racial] ^ A forms COLLEGE STATION • TX See extended forecast, Page 6. MONDAY • OCTOBER 20 • 1997 Jtherlej ;k force m J v] „ H _ extended neis ‘isitation AMOS By Amanda Smith Staff writer Texas A&M Residence 11 Association appointed a ^tod jjk force to look into extend- wantl j visitation hours in single- e Hisi ( residence halls Wednesday Crocker Hall Council spon- imous red the proposal, it acrt single-sex halls have visita- )n this nhours from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. loan Duong, Crocker Hall ssident and a junior comput- ■ience major, said similar ••■pposals resurface every year th little or no action taken. “We created the bill because wanted to get RHA to sup- jitthe bill as a whole,” Duong id. “It is very general because isk force will be responsible tming up with a proposal II |—jutlining that proposal.” I|1'h IA President Eric Williams, senior biomedical science ijor, said the proposal has a mb'er of opportunities for ex- |ded visitation hours in sin- ;lsex dorms. the possibilities are end- is,” he said. “1 think that flexi- lity will be the key. The task rce right now is going to look to what the residence halls are terested in. It could be that iitcilion hours are extended to diours or from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. could remain the same.” The task force will be re- onsible for collecting the in- itmation from residence halls id determine the need for a pposal to submit to the ad- iricistration. ji)avid Rickerson, the RHA fa jita tor and operations chair id a junior computer science |l)r, said the task force com- ttee will evaluate the propos- potential through a number measures. “'This is a fact-finding mis- j)n,” Rickerson said. “We are ling out to see what students ink (about extended visita- Jn hours). We are going to pk at visitation hours on cam- jtses of other universities. We ill do a lot of talking with Res- ifice Life and residents. The ttis of the committee is to see there is interest.” Rickerson said resident inter- Knay be determined through ■municatiori with RHA embers in single-sex dorms id surveys. Co-ed halls can approve 24- lui visitation by 90 percent )te of its residents, ibuong said he would like to ie|the task force organize a pro- 3Stil soon but cautiously. ie Texas A&M Cross Coun- fTeam comes up big in its >rne tournament. See Page 7 tan |s9QEBMBSS 'hnston: Technology takes t of letter writing to low vel of electronics. See Page 9 rec^ nlinei 5 lttp://bat~web.tamu.edu ook up with state and ational news through The /ire, AP’s 24-hour online ews service. A&M students injured in plane crash By Robert Smith Senior staff writer Three Texas A&M students were hospitalized after a plane car rying four students crashed ear ly Sunday morning at Easterwood Airport. Columbia Medical Center officials said Christopher Kazmierski, a senior kinesiology major, and Michael Heath, a senior kinesiol ogy major, are at Columbia for back and neck pains and remain in stable condition. Officials also said Christopher Schwark, the pilot of the plane and a senior business administration major, was released from Co lumbia yesterday after receiving medical care for back and neck pains. Shane Floyd, a junior business analysis management major, suf fered a cut lip and did not require medical at tention, hospital officials said. The Federal Aviation Administration in Houston is investigating the cause of the plane crash. The plane was a Moonie M-20 fixed-wing plane. The College Station Fire Department re sponded to a emergency call at 2:15 a.m. Sun day. The College Station Police Department, the University Police Department, the A&M Emergency Medical Services and Easterwood Airport personnel arrived at the scene of the accident around 2:30 a.m. Bob Wiatt, director of the UPD, said Schwark prepared to land the plane on the mmmiaEssza mJM Local g rou P tries to educate students about the importance of the rainforest. See Page 3 Free fallin , runway, but lifted the plane after he thought the plane was going too fast to land. Wiatt said the plane’s engine stalled after it lifted, causing a skidding land in a grassy field near the Easterwood Airport office. Wiatt said the plane’s front end and engine were ripped off, but the plane did not catch fire. The four students were returning from the A&M-Kansas State University football game in Manhattan, Kan. The students are mem bers of the A&M Flying Club. Presidential corridor City officials push for highway expansion Staff and Wire Report Bryan-College Station officials are hoping one plus one can equal four in their effort to improve highway access to the area, including visitors to the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in November. Officials said since getting an inter state through Bryan-College Station ROBERT MCKAY/The Battalion Brian Reichle, a freshman at Cy-Creek High School in Houston, jumps off the steps in front of the Quad on his skateboard Saturday morning. O Utoli Complex seems unlikely, backers of four-lane ac cess have been focusing their energies on widening Texas 21/U.S. 190 from Bryan northeast to Madisonville where it inter sects with Interstate 45. U.S. 190 is a 40-mile two-lane road be tween 1-45 and Texas Highway 6, a major artery through Bryan-College Station. This stretch has been designated by the state as the “Presidental Corridor” be cause it provides access to the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum on the Texas A&M campus as well as to the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library in Austin. Please see Expansion on Page 6. Ceremony opens annual mini-Olympics By Rachel Dawley Staff writer The International Mini-Olympics began Friday with opening ceremonies at Rudder Fountain. The event was highlighted by interna tional music, cultural dances and different speeches from A&M faculty and staff. During the next two weekends, more than 1,000 Texas A&M students representing countries from around the world will partic ipate in the games. Vinay Ramanathan, vice president of the International Student Association and a management information systems graduate student from India, said the annual event reflects the diversity and friendliness of an Olympic event on the A&M campus. Rama nathan said the students’ desire to promote their heritage and countries on campus has made the event a success. “The International Student Association hosts the event each year,” he said. “It’s main objective is to allow all international stu dents to interact with one another as a cul tural exchange. We believe that the spirit of sports is a good place to begin.” Belita Siu, a senior industrial engineering major from Panama, coordinated this year’s ceremonies. Siu said Friday’s ceremonies united students from different countries be fore the games began Friday night. “The opening ceremonies turned out real ly good,” she said. “It is important to represent the different countries and cultures at A&M and it allows students to get to know people. The most important thing is to have fun.” The mini-Olympics has been an event at A&M for almost two decades. More than 30 countries are participating in 14 sports, ranging from bowling to chess to soccer. Danny Guindi, director of mini-Olympics and a senior computer science major from Panama, said international students often have problems adjusting to American cul ture and the Olympics are a way to encour age exchange between students. “The mini-Olympics is very important for the interaction between students,” he said. “It is a way to get students together to get to know each other.” Guindi said he wants to make the mini- Olympics a more well-known tradition at A&M with a larger audience and more cam pus awareness of the event. Ballet Folklorico Celestial performed Fri day. This group of A&M students perform Mexican dances that promote the culture and history of Mexico. Grissel Sanchez, a junior international studies major from Mexico City, performed with the group. Sanchez said the mini-Olympics are an event allows students to enjoy one another and meet other students. Norberto Chaclin, president of the In ternational Student Association and a junior chemical engineering major from the Dutch Caribbean, said international student are en couraged to participate in the events through organizations representing their country. “I’m really excited about the number of peo- pie participating in the event,” Chaclin said. “It is an opportunity for international students to show that we can represent and share our cul ture with A&M. We work together even though we all come from different backgrounds.” AMY DUNLAP/The Battalion Danny Guindi, director of International Mini- Olympics and senior computer science major from Panama, thanks those who assisted with the events. 38 PROFILE: Barry Thompson By Robert Smith Senior staff writer Dr. Barry B. Thompson may not be a familiar name with many Texas A&M students, but his work as the chancellor of the Texas A&M University System reaches across the state. Since becoming chancellor in August 1994, Thompson Thompson has made it his mission to ensure that the A&M System is producing quality education from citizens’ tax dollars. Thompson has implemented different programs in an effort to improve educa tion in Texas. He led the establishment of the Texas Higher Education Coalition, a group that fo cuses on the graduation and retention of more college students in the state. Thompson said he is concerned with how citizens’ tax dollars can best be used and believes too much money is spent building prisons and not enough is spent on education. Please see Thompson Page 6. Cgfifeus Curtis Childers By Bran dye Brown Staff writer Student Body President Curtis Childers attributes some of his success to growing up with three sisters in the small, close-knit community of Glen Rose, Texas. “Growing up as the only boy in a family of women was unique,” he said. “It helped me learn that it is okay not to be in charge all the time. Sometimes they would team up on me. It helped me to understand what it was like to be in the minority.” Childers, a senior agricultural major, said the quality school system of Glen Rose helped him to excel by providing opportunities and encouraging him to take them. “I had the opportunity to travel often for school-related activities,” he said. “This was a mind-opening experience that was especially important since I grew up in such a small town.” Please see Childers on Page 6. Childers