Texas A & M University
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TODAY
TOMORROW
1 th YEAR • ISSUE 93 • 14 PACES
COLLEGE STATION • TX
THURSDAY • FEBRUARY 19 • 1998
perts debate Iran issue
;ction of new Iranian president raises new question about U.S. foreign policy
By Amanda Smith
Staff writer
perts on foreign policy in the Middle East
contrasting takes on how the United States
Id proceed in future relations with Iran
nesday night at the MSG.
|ahul Patel, director of programming for the
Wiley Lecture Series, said Iran has under
significant changes since the May 1997
ion of President Mohammed Khatemi.
\Ne have had a bad relationship with Iran
:e the late 1970s), but Khatemi said he now
ts to start a dialogue with America.”
t. Bahman Baktiari, an associate professor
ie University of Maine, said the United
smust improve foreign relations with Iran.
The road to a new relationship between the
and Iran may not be easy,” Baktiari said.
p as of today, the U.S. State Department has
xtended diplomatic relations to Iran. There
to be some flexibility on the United States’
Both countries need to move forward.”
lusic man
James Phillips, a senior policy analyst for
Middle Eastern Affairs at the Heritage Founda
tion, said Khatemi does not promise improved
relations with U.S. diplomats.
“His foreign policies with the West may not
be as some have hoped,” Phillips said. “He cam
paigned as an agent of social change. Khatemi
will probably continue with domestic reforms
but is unlikely to make drastic changes in for
eign policy. I am not sure as president that he
has the ability to make a clean break with for
eign policy because of the control (still held) by
conservative groups.”
Baktiari said the election of Khatemi has ig
nited a silent revolution among the Iranian
population and a call to reform the govern
ment.
The United States-Iran relations have been
strained since Ayatollah Khomeini, a conserva
tive fundamentalist, took control of the Iranian
government in 1979.
Dr. Allison Astorino-Courtois, the moderator
of the lecture and an assistant political science
professor at Texas A&M University, said it would
be beneficial for both countries to improve
United States-Iranian relations.
“It would be good for the U.S. because Iran
is a major oil supplier,” she said. “The situation
really is different (with the election of Khatemi)
and with a relatively more moderate president.
Khatemi is not calling us the demon of the
world (as past leaders) anymore. Now, we are
just the bad guys.”
Currently, the United States continues to op
erate under its “dual containment policy,” an at
tempt to isolate Iran and Iraq through trade
sanctions and embargoes.
Astorino-Courtois said the U.S. containment
policy will probably not last.
“The dual containment policy is not some
thing that will last ad infinitum,” Astorino-
Courtois said. “Right now, the world economy
is strong and oil prices are low. But if we were to
fall into recession, then it would be hard to con
tinue the policy. The European Allies want to
trade with Iran and Iraq.”
GRAG MCREYNOLDS/The Battalion
Dr. Bahman Baktiari spoke at the “Changing Face of Iran” lecture last night
for the MSC Wiley Lecture Series.
SCONA opens with talks of inner-cities
By Colleen Kavanagh
Staff writer
Students from universities across the na
tion will discuss educational, political, en
vironmental and social welfare issues that
affect U.S. cities at the 43rd annual Student
Conference on National Affairs (SCONA) in
College Station today and Friday.
Martha Middleton, SCONA vice chair
for public relations and a sophomore ele
mentary education major, said SCONA has
planned for 102 delegates to attend, 80 of
whom are from other universities.
The delegates will discuss possible so
lutions to problems in education, law en
forcement, politics, neighborhoods, inner-
city challenges, commerce, urban planning
and social reform in America’s cities.
“America’s cities have seen such big
changes in recent years like the move to
the suburbs in the ‘80s,” she said. “Now
people are trying to make cities more at
tractive to live in, and everyone has to deal
with the problems that exist in cities.”
Middleton said students at the confer
ence have the opportunity to hear opin
ions from students at other universities.
"SCONA doesn’t exist to solve prob
lems,” she said. “We just provide a forum
for discussion and possible solutions.”
Bruce Katz, director of the Center on Ur
ban and Metropolitan Policy at the Brook
ings Institute, is the keynote speaker.
Katz, the former Chief of Staff for the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Devel
opment under the Clinton administration,
worked as a principal adviser on adminis
trative and legislative initiatives including
urban economic development, communi
ty reinvestment, public and assisted hous
ing and fair housing enforcement.
Dana Boehm, a 1997 SCONA delegate
and a sophomore animal science major,
said she learned from the experiences that
the nationally renowned speakers and
students from other universities shared at
the conference.
“It was refreshing and enlightening to
hear what the delegates had to say,” she said.
SCONA, sponsored by the MSC, was
established in 1955 to bring students to
gether to examine topics of national and
international importance.
Next year’s conference topic will be an
nounced at the closing banquet on Friday.
A&M retains more students than most schools
MIKE FUENTES/The Battalion
endon Murphy, a senior construction science major, gives a few lessons at a local
liitar shop Wednesday afternoon. Brendon is a member of the Voodudes, a local band.
By Amanda Smith
Staff writer
A higher number of freshmen return to Texas A&M Univer
sity than most state universities, according to an A&M Office
of Admissions and Records report.
Gary Engelgau, executive director of the Office of Admis
sions and Records, said acade
mic success usually keeps stu
dents at A&M.
“Our data suggests that stu
dents have to be academically
successful (maintaining a 2.0 or
above),” Engelgau said. “If stu
dents are doing well academi
cally, then chances increase that
students stay.”
Last year, only four percent of
more than 6,300 students who
maintained a 2.0 GPR for their
first two semesters did not re
turn to A&M for Fall 1998, ac
cording to a new freshmen retention report released by the Of
fice of Admissions and Records.
An Associated Press report said about one in every eight UT
freshman did not return for the spring 1998 semester. More
than 12 percent of last year’s freshman did not return for the
“It was comforting to know stu
dents that are in your class. I think
that is provides a sense of security.”
Vanessa Rice
Aggie Network
second year.
The Texas A&M Office of Admissions and Records did not
have the information on the number of freshmen who re
turned for the Spring 1998 semester.
Programs such as Aggie Networks may contribute to A&M’s
high retention rate.
Aggie Networks places a small group of freshmen general
studies majors in residence hall
and similar classes during their
first semester at A&M.
Kriss Boyd, the general acad
emic program director, said
freshmen may benefit from
having familiar faces in their
classes.
“Helping students come to a
big university and see familiar
faces is important,” she said.
“Having a social group is very
important for freshmen.” ,
Vanessa Rice, an Aggie Net
work participant and a fresh
man business major, said the program made her college tran
sition smooth.
“It was comforting to know students that are in your class,”
she said. “I think that it provide a sense of security. Reality sets
in when your parents drive off for the first time.”
INSIDE
Urban legends
tell tales of
societal
conflicts, life
id situations.
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sports
linen’s basketball team
afeats the University of
tes 86-68 at home.
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ffines: Texas A&IVTs quest
world-class status
tnands fine arts additions
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fok up with state and na-
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fws service.
Cadet attempts suicide
after murder conviction
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) —
Former midshipman Diane Zamo
ra, sentenced to life in prison for
the murder of a romantic rival, was
placed under a 24-hour suicide
watch Wednesday after wounding
herself with a razor blade.
Zamora, convicted and sen
tenced on Tuesday, cut herself on
the upper left arm sometime be
fore Wednesday morning, said
Tarrant County Jail commander
James Skidmore.
The wound, which Skidmore
called “superficial,” stopped bleed
ing and Zamora concealed it from
guards. It was noticed by a psy
chologist examining her on
Wednesday afternoon.
Although the cut was not life-
threatening and Zamora told offi
cials she was not trying to kill her
self, officials placed her under
24-hour supervision, Skidmore said.
“To be on the precautionary
side, she has been classified as po
tentially suicidal,” he said. “She will
remain under that classification
until she goes to state prison.”
Skidmore said it wasn’t clear
how long Zamora would remain in
the county lockup before her
transfer to Huntsville.
The prosecutors who secured
her conviction, meanwhile, are set
ting their sights on her ex
boyfriend and accused accomplice.
“We’re only half done,” lead
prosecutor Mike Parrish said. “The
man who pulled the trigger still
needs to be brought to justice.”
Robert Swofford, David Gra
ham’s attorney, said he won’t accept
a plea bargain offer by the state that
would give his client a 30-year sen
tence for allegedly killing a 16-year-
old-girl.
“That’s out of the question,” said
Swofford. “We will go to trial with
this case and you will see a very dif
ferent trial than Diane Zamora’s.”
Swofford wouldn’t talk about his
defense strategy, citing a gag order,
but he did say he would seek to have
the trial moved out of Fort Worth.
“It’s pretty clear that there has
been an enormous amount of pub
licity here.”
Zamora was convicted of capital
murder in the Dec. 4, 1995, slaying
of Adrianne Jones. Prosecutors al
leged she ordered Graham to kill
the girl after he had sex with Jones.
If his trial proceeds, Graham
will face much of the same damn
ing evidence that made prosecu
tors’ case against Zamora seem
like a slam dunk.
Aggie Fish Club hosts tournament to raise money for charity
Hole in One
By Lyndsay Nantz
Staff writer
The Aggie Fish Club (AFC) is helping the Girls
Club of Brazos County fund after-school programs
for elementary girls by hosting a charity golf tour
nament Saturday.
The tournament is open to amateur and pro
fessional golfers, with tee time at 7:30 am. for the
professional golfers and noon for amateur golfers.
The entry fee is $40 per person and includes the
greens fee, cart, T-shirt and lunch from Outback
Steakhouse.
Sean Clements, public relations representative
for AFC and a sophomore accounting major, said
that the tournament is benefiting a great organiza
tion and is fun but competitive.
The Girls Club closed its doors over the Christ
mas break because of lack of funding.
“Most of the girls that go to the Club after school
are from low-income families and if the Club is
closed the girls have to go home to empty houses,”
Clements said. “We want the Club to stay open and
hope the donation can help them stay working.”
The Girls Club reopened their doors in late Jan
uary and, with the help of 155 volunteers and do
nations, have started new after school programs
including gymnastics, music appreciation and an
arts class.
J.W. Butts, golf tournament' co-chair and a
sophomore business major, said the programs keep
the girls in a safe environment.
“The girls can play outside, draw and make pro-
jects,” he said. “But the place is just treading above
water and needs as much support as it can get.”
Pam Walker, executive director for the Girls Club,
said the members of AFC have been supportive of
the program for over three years.
“They have come out every Friday to play with
the girls,” she said. “It’s wonderful that they took
this project and ran with it. We didn’t have to do
much of anything except say yes. They are doing all
the work.”
Anyone interested can sign up in four-man
teams at the MSC, Commons Lobby and Zachry un
til Friday.
More than $1,000 in prizes and raffles will be
awarded to the winning teams.