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145
ITH
YEAR • ISSUE 56 • 8 PAGES
COLLEGE STATION • TX
TODAY TOMORROW
See extended forecast. Page 2.
MONDAY • NOVEMBER 17 • 1997
-violent solution
hi
ush to open first
leeting in center Non-emergencv hospital patients evacuated as Iraq prepares for possible U.S. air strikes
D. ir-l-. •SKI III •/ I
Former President George Bush
I convene the first conference at
fe George Bush Presidential Cen-
|at4 p.m. today.
The Eisenhower Exchange Fel-
Ivships, of which Bush is chair,
as brought 19 Chinese fellows
t Texas A&M as part of a two-
mth program designed to give
Hem an understanding of Ameri-
n society.
The Eisenhower Exchange Fel-
Lships, which is non-partisan
|d non-profit, is an international
pdership exchange program.
l&M MD named
[hapter president
Dr. Walter P Dyck from Texas
RM has been elected president of
|eTexas Academy Chapter of the
perican College of Physicians at
k annual scientific meeting at the
(niversity of Texas Medical Branch
Galveston.
Dyck is associate vice presi-
ntfor Clinical Affairs and senior
Issociate dean at the Texas A&M
iealth Science Center College of
ledicine and administrative direc
tor Research and Education at
ott& White.
Dyck was inducted as a fellow
the American College of Physi-
iansin 1974. In addition to his
adership roles in the Texas
iademy chapter, he served on
everal committees of the nation-
iorganization and was program
tiairof several graduate educa-
ion programs.
Formed in 1915 and originally
Btterned after the Royal College
ofPhysicians of London, the
Wean College of Physicians is
Widest and largest organiza-
tionofits kind in North America,
representing specialists in inter-
tj/medicine.
jspect in murders
wed due to crime
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Police
Daniel J. Blank told them that
was a serial killer who stabbed,
Mgeoned or shot six people —
osses, neighbors, and customers
-to pay for his gambling habit.
Folks in the piney woods town of
•nalaska, Texas, say Blank told
iem he had moved there last sum
mer to get himself, his wife and
leirfour kids away from crime.
Sheriffs of the three parishes
Uftae Blank, 35, lived until a few
Whs ago, said he admitted killing
\«people and trying to kill two others
hoe October 1996. Most were well
ff ,and in their 60s and 70s.
So are a lot of people in Onalaska.
“This is basically a retirement
ommunity where people come to
itaway from the city and crime,”
| layor Jeanne Ann Byrd told The
New Orleans) Times-Picayune. “We
without murders for 20 years. He
eemed like a nice man.”
Blank was arrested Friday
Overseas
Development
Network gives
students the
chance to learn
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) — Saddam Hussein
stressed Sunday that Iraq “does not seek con
flict” with the United States and expressed
hope that a solution to a weapons inspection
crisis could be worked out, even as officials
ordered citizens to be prepared for a possible
U.S. air attack.
Saddam, who provoked the standoff by ex
pelling American members of the U.N. arms in
spection team, met with his Cabinet on Sunday
and said he hoped an escalation of the conflict
could be averted.
He praised other Arab countries for op
posing the use of military action in the crisis.
He did not, however, signal any willingness to
compromise on the controversy over Ameri
can inspectors.
“Iraq does not seek conflict with the Unit
ed States and if there is a solution to this cri
sis ... we would be happy,” he said in a state
ment carried by the Iraqi News Agency.
Kuwait and Syria, which supported strikes
against Iraq during the 1991 Persian Gulf War,
said they were opposed to the use of force in the
current standoff, which began on Oct. 29 when
Iraq decided to expel American weapons in
spectors working for the United Nations.
Meanwhile, Iraq again offered to defuse
the standoff if the U.N. inspection team were
reorganized.
Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz told a
Paris newspaper that the crisis could end if
the teams included fewer Americans and bet
ter represented the makeup of the U.N. Se
curity Council.
The proposal was rejected by the United
States when it was first offered a week ago.
AndWashington reiterated its stance Sunday,
saying Iraq was in no position to dictate the
composition of the team.
Aziz, who traveled to Morocco Sunday in
a first stop in a tour of Africa to rally support
Making a good impression
%
for Iraq’s cause, warned of a backlash by “Ar ab
masses” against the United States in the event
of a military strike.
Aziz stopped short of predicting that ter
rorism could be a possible response, but said
individuals should act “according to their
own judgment.”
The United States on Sunday pressed for
ward with its military buildup, sending the air
craft carrier USS George Washington through
the Suez Canal toward the Persian Gulf.
Though several Arab states have joined
Kuwait and Syria in opposing a military strike
against Iraq, President Clinton’s top security
adviser said Sunday that the White House is
confident the Arabs won’t stand in the way of
any U.S. action.
Sandy Berger said on NBC’s “Meet the
Press” that Arab nations understand the
threat posed by Saddam. “In the end of the
day, they are not going to impede our ability
to do what’s necessary,” Berger said.
There was no indication Sunday if U-2
flights had resumed. Clinton, who was in Los
Angeles visiting with
daughter Chelsea,
was asked by a re
porter about the
flights over Iraq, but
he ducked into his
limousine without
answering. Iraq has
threatened to shoot
down planes flying
over its territory.
Meanwhile, Iraq
ordered Baghdad
hospitals to evacuate
non-emergency pa
tients in preparation for a possible U.S. air at
tack. It was not clear how many people would
be removed.
Saddam
Safety Week focuses
on residence halls
By Amanda Smith
Staff writer
Safety Week, sponsored by the Residence
Hall Association and Mosher Hall, focuses on
the safety of Texas A&M students in residence
halls, relationships and daily choices.
Safety Week is begins today and ends
Nov. 20.
Andrea Sellers, the Mosher Hall pro
grams director and a freshman mechanical
engineering major, said the idea for Safety
Week emerged from a program sponsored
last year in Mosher Hall.
She said Mosher Hall, with support from
RHA, decided to expand the focus of the
program this year.
“I decided that safety was an issue that
needed to be addressedTampus wide,” she
said. “The program is targeted towards fe
male dorms. There are responsibilities and
actions that need to take place.”
Last night, male resident advisers and
other participants in the Shadow program,
which promotes safety in residence halls,
entered female residence halls in an at
tempt to monitor the safety of the dorms.
Sellers said the men entered female res
idence halls to determine which ones were
locked. After the men entered they tried to
see how far they could go in the hall with
out a female resident asking him to leave.
“Although some dorms have an open-
door policy, it brings awareness fto the res
idents],” she said. “I hope that students be
come a bit more aware about locking the
door and getting a Corps escort.”
Kara Wilson, a member of RHA Crime
Stoppers and a senior agricultural journal
ism major, said students need to be aware
of safety issues on campus.
Activities will kick-off with a presenta
tion tonight by Sgt. Betty LeMay of the Uni-
-versity Police Department, who will speak
on safety issues in 342 MSC at 7 p.m. The
Safety Week committee will recognize the
“safest hall on campus” based on findings
from the Shadow program.
Please see Safety on Page 8.
New program provides
student input on classes
DAVE HOUSE/The Battalion
Comedian Carrot Top gives his impression of rock performer Tom Petty during his show last
Thursday night at Rudder Auditorium. See related story on page 4.
By Karie Fehler
Staff writer
The Student Government Association is
sponsoring a program today until Dec. 9 that
allows Texas A&M students to give opinions
about different courses at the University.
Students can write their opinions
about courses on tables covered with
butcher paper at the MSC, and other stu
dents can read about courses before reg
istering for Spring 1998 classes.
Craig Rotter, Student Services commit
tee chair in Student Senate and an agricul
tural education graduate student, said the
“Howdy You Like It?” program provides a
needed service to the student body.
“The ‘Howdy You Like It?’ program’s
main goal is to provide a method for stu
dents to express their perceptions of a class
or professor— things you can’t get from reg
istration booklets or advisors — and to
make this information more readily avail
able to people,” he said. “Students have al
ways done this verbally, but now they will
have an open forum to air their opinions
and spread the information more easily.”
Robert Kimmel, Southside senator and a
junior mechanical engineering major, said
Student Senate likes the program because it
gives students access to others’ opinions.
“The evaluations that we all do at the end
of the semester are not as readily available as
we’d like. They are only open to the depart
ments, and you have to hike down to Hender
son Hall for grade distributions,” he said. “We
are all frustrated at the lack of tools available
to students to help us make these decisions.”
Wayne Wylie, Faculty Senate speaker
and an associate health and kinesiology
professor, said although the Faculty Senate
has not taken an official stance on the pro
gram, he and several other faculty senators
are opposed to the program.
“I am opposed to the program because I
fear it will set back the good relations between
the Student and Faculty Senates,” he said. “I
and some members of the Faculty Senate
think that this program seems to encourage
professor bashing in a very public way.”
Please see Input on Page 8.
'HP
K. !
about life abroad.
See Page 3
• sports
he Texas A&M Soccer Team
seliminated from the NCAA
'Oumament by SMU.
See Page 5
mm
felly: Student understanding
'fdiversity proves important
is Puerto Rican Week begins.
See Page 7
Ftp://battalion.tamu.edu
fyok up with The Wire for
No-date news coverage of
^ U.S./Iraqi standoff
Aggies to celebrate
Puerto Rican Week
By Stacey Becks
Staff writer
A&M hosts career symposium
Event offers students information on prospective job opportunities
By Amanda Smith
Staff writer
Puerto Rican Week, hosted by the
Texas A&M Puerto Rican Student As
sociation, begins today with a multi
cultural display in the MSC.
Every year this Latin American
group celebrates their culture dur
ing the week of Nov. 19, the day
Puerto Rico was discovered.
Cesar Ayala, president of the Puer
to Rican Student Association and a
senior business administration ma
jor, said this week is the only time
Puerto Ricans have the opportunity
to showcase their culture to the
Bryan-College Station community.
“The reason for Puerto Rican
Week is to educate people in the
area about our culture and tradi
tions,” he said. “We have activities
every day of this week.”
Ayala said this year the associa
tion is doing something different.
Instead of just explaining the cul
ture of Puerto Rico, they will focus
on how Puerto Ricans have over
come obstacles and discrimination
in the United States.
On Monday night, Luis Suarez, a
consulting business manager for
Hewlett-Packard Co., will speak at
the MSC. Ayala said Suarez’s speech
will explain the path he took to be
come a successful Puerto Rican in
the corporate environment.
Please see Puerto Rican on Page 8.
The MSC/MBA LAW Sympo
sium Committee invited lawyers
and business people to its annual
symposium Nov. 14 and 15 to pro
vide Texas A&M students with
knowledge of career opportunities
in their fields of interest.
Cliff LeBlanc, director of opera
tions for the symposium and a se
nior electrical engineering major,
said the event offered students an
opportunity to gain knowledge
from leading figures in the world.
“In the courses that you take [as
an undergraduate], you do not
have a good representation of the
fields out in the world,” he said.
“It’s a good experience. We hope
that the students gain knowledge
in areas of business and law. It’s a
good experience.”
Speakers gave presentations
Nov. 14 as an introduction to the
events of the symposium.
Ray Rothrock, a general partner of
Venrock Associates and Class of’97,
said the availability of knowledge is
impacting the business world.
“As you are setting out upon
your life’s journey, you have really
got to focus on learning more,”
Rothrock said. “What’s happening
today is a real transformation of
the economy. The Internet is like
spreading water on a table. It’s go
ing to spread everywhere. It’s
about knowing things.”
James Fellars, a sophomore
computer science major, said he
has considered pursuing a law de
gree or working on his MBA.
“I came to hear the real world
sides of business and law that you
do not get in class,” Fellars said. “He
(Mr. Rothrock) talked about his
background and the path that he
used to get where he is now. It makes
you think about what you know.”
United States District Judge
Samuel Kent for Southern District
of Texas focused on the impact of
law in today’s society.
“The law is a living and breath
ing dynamic,” Kent said. “The law
is reactive. It cannot anticipate a
case but must respond to a case. If
the law is not current, responsive,
vibrant, it does not work.
Please see Career on Page 8.