Texas A & M University
67
55
TODAY
TOMORROW
ITH
YEAR • ISSUE 129 • 12 PAGES
COLLEGE STATION • TX
FRIDAY • APRIL 17 • 1998
arents to flock to A&M for annual bash
By Katy Lineberger
Staff writer
Ab( iut 30,000 Aggie family members will
scj?nd upon College Station in the next
o days to celebrate A&M’s annual Par-
| ts’V, r eekend.
“It’s a way for us to extend a hand out to
that have supported us,” said Erin
bHahoo, Parents’ Weekend Committee
inland a senior accounting major. “For
s ■kend, we center everything at Texas
(M around them so they see how much
‘appreciate their support.”
j^Solyn Goodwin, a freshman account-
;major, said she is looking forward to the
jelcend’s events.
“It’ i a really cool way for parents to see
talgoes on here on campus,” she said.
The tradition began in 1919 as “Moms’
Sand has since evolved into a yearly
to honor parents, Dunnahoo said.
“It was started to show our parents that
A&M is what we
love,” she said.
“Now, it’s also a
chance for stu
dents to say, ‘Hey,
this is what I really
do while I’m at
school.’”
The organizing
committee and a
number of other
groups ar e hosting a full
schedule of activities for
the weekend.
The annual Aggie Moms’ Boutique
features the crafts of 75 mothers’ clubs from
Texas, Colorado and Kansas. It takes place
today and tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
in Duncan Dining Hall.
Sue Anderson, the boutique coordinator
for the Federation of Texas A&M University
Mothers’ Clubs, said the proceeds are used
for scholarships and donations to student
organizations. Last year, the Federation
contributed more than $280,000 to the Uni
versity, she said.
“We like to give something back for the
education the University gives our stu
dents,” she said.
The Residence Hall Association is
sponsoring
Casino Night
tonight from
7 p.m. to mid
night at the
MSC. In addi
tion, student
talent will be
featured at
the MSC Vari
ety Show at
7:30 p.m. in
Rudder Auditori
um. At midnight,
Kyle Field will host an
“old army” yell practice.
“A lot of parents can’t come down during
the fall, so we have a yell practice so they see
what goes on,” Dunnahoo said. She added
that it will be the first midnight yell conduct
ed by the newly-elected yell leaders.
Saturday, the 10th annual Bevo Burn
Barbecue will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m in
the Puryear/Law Park next to All Faiths
Chapel. A&M clubs from around the state
will compete in a barbecue-cooking con
test. Entertainers including Roger Creager
and the Aggie Wranglers will also perform.
Tomorrow night, the Singing Cadets
will host a concert, the Aggie baseball
team will take on the University of Texas
and the Parents’ Weekend Committee is
sponsoring “Family Night Out” at the
Texas Hall of Fame. The Aggie Wranglers
will perform again, and a jitterbug contest
begins at 10 p.m.
The All University Awards ceremony
will take place Sunday morning at 9 a.m.
in Rudder Auditorium. A variety of honors
will be announced, including the Gath-
right Award, given to sophomores, juniors
and seniors with the highest GPR in their
college; the BuckWeirus Spirit Award rec
ognizing student involvement on campus;
Please see Parents on Page 12.
tudent Senate
llects new officers
By Rachel Dawley
Staff writer
,le Texas A&M Student Senate elected
ficors Wednesday at the first meeting of
list session.
py Magee, a senior psychology major,
jjbe the 1998-99 speaker of the Senate,
la Divine, a freshman international
ifies major, will be the speaker pro-tem-
Bryan Atkinson, a senior computer
cience major, will be the rules and regula-
ions chair.
Jpagee, who served this year as rules and
^jlations chair, said the newly-elected
atewill have many opportunities to help
iDCie^ents al the University because of the
ent Senate.
Time was spent this year in the restruc-
tgof student government,” Magee said,
[vwe can focus more on helping students.
JSenate is where research and policy be-
Wand it is important to communicate the
ideas of constituents to the administration.”
Because of a Senate year-restructuring bill
passed in this session, the current Senate will
continue with its legislative authority until
May 6. The new Senate will meet to elect offi
cers, but they cannot pass any legislation.
Atkinson said the restructuring will allow
the Senate to better deal with campus issues.
“My position as rules and regulations
chair may not directly affect all of the stu
dents at the University, but it is working to
make the student government more effec
tive,” Atkinson said. “This affects students
as we work to do a better job of getting the
students’ voice heard by administration.”
Peter Schulte, a Northside senator and a
sophomore business major, said the new
Senate leadership will provide the student
body more access to the administration.
“We couldn’t have chosen better leader
ship,” Schulte said. “The Senate is the voice of
the students and the Speaker is the direct link
between the students and the administration.”
1998-99
Corps of
Cadets
Leadership
|orps Commander
ise Bailey
eputy Commander
felly Garrity
first Brigade
Lowaring-Clark
fecond Brigade
[onnie Podraza
egiment Staff
en Jones
Mng Staff
Adrienne Bender
ombined Band
itaff
teau Voelkel
iead Drum Major
^am Udovich
Me Drum Majors
onathan Scott
3rian Marks
At attention
New Corps commanders will
take over positions in May
By Rachel Dawley
Staff writer
The Corps of Cadets has chosen their brigade, reg
iment, wing and band staffs and the outfit com
manding officers for 1998-99.
The command will informally change during the
annual March to the Brazos on April 25. The new
commanders will officially take their positions at Fi
nal Review on May 16.
Commanders have general responsibilities for
everything in the outfit, ranging from academics,
athletics and the morale of the unit.
Ricky Leal, the new commanding officer of com
pany A-2 and a junior political science major, said the
new leadership is currently going through a transi
tion period to learn about these responsibilities.
“Right now, we are going through a grooming
process where you get training and follow the current
commanding officer around,” Leal said. “We have
worked together the entire year and I have a good
idea about the job he does. It’s just realizing that I’ll
be doing those things next year.”
Cadets can apply for positions in mid-March. A
board of current senior commanders and military of
ficers from the Trigon select two to three applicants
to interview.
During the interview process, the board asks appli
cants various questions about situational decisions
and their goals for their outfit and for the Corps.
Beau Voelkel, the new Aggie Band commander
and a junior bion^edical science major, said the se
lection process for outfit commanders ensures qual
ity leadership.
“The interview panel addresses the applicant’s
scholastic achievement, past performance history,
involvement within and outside the Corps and their
dedication to the University,” Voelkel said. “This is to
ensure that every person is going to gain the most
valuable investment of leadership and camaraderie
during their tenure.”
Voelkel said the drum majors are selected based
on their leadership goals, musical abilities, grades
and involvement.
Tase Bailey, the incoming Corps Commander and
a junior aerospace engineering major, said the new
commanders will have a positive impact on the
Corps and the University.
“I am very excited about the new Corps leader
ship,” Bailey said. “They all demonstrate a deep love
for the Corps and for A&M and have demonstrated
an uncompromising willingness to lead with author
ity and character.”
A tiptoe through the tulips
CORY WILLIS/The Battalion
Tish Shanley, a sophomore biomedical science major, shops for flowers at The Farm Patch on Thursday.
Coming soon: Reed Arena parking
By Amanda Smith
Staff writer
The scheduled opening of Reed Arena
brings anticipation of additional parking
on West Campus, one of several changes
organized by Parking, Traffic and Trans
portation Services (PITS).
Reed Arena parking is scheduled to
open Tuesday, April 21, for Muster cere
monies. The 1,500-space lot will remain
open for students with commuter passes.
Brian Minyard, chair of the Student
Senate subcommittee on parking issues
and a junior biochemistry major, said the
success of Reed Arena parking will de
pend largely on bus transportation.
“The parking there will be a positive
thing as long as there is adequate bus
transportation,” Minyard said. “But just
having a parking lot close does not mean
improvement because the back end of
Reed Arena is nearly as far as walking
from the back of Olsen.”
Gary Jackson, the manager of PTTS
Bus Operations, said the Rudder and Tra
ditions stops will move closer to Reed
Arena by the end of next week.
In another area of on-campus parking,
the subcommittee will consider a com
muter student parking availability bill at
their April 22 meeting. The bill addresses
the available space in PA-61 or “fish lot,”
and the problems faced by on-campus
students who park there.
Please see arena on Page 12.
Library creates memorial
Sterling C. Evans Library dedicates books in
memory of students honored at Silver Taps
INSIDE
aggielife
By Kelly Hackworth
Staff writer
The Silver Taps Memorial Program hon
ors students who have died while attend
ing Texas A&M.
Dr. Fred Heath, Ster
ling C. Evans Library
dean, initiated the pro
gram in September 1996.
“We wanted to create
a lasting memorial which
would be available to
their parents any time
they visited the library
either electronically
through the online cata
log or when they came
into the building,” he
said. “We took extra care
to select books that were
in the students’ major
field of study because these Aggies and
their families are very special to us.”
As part of the program, a special Silver
Taps bookplate with the student’s name
and date of death is placed in a book se
lected to correspond with the student’s
course of study. The books are electroni
cally book plated in NOTIS, the library’s on
line catalog.
Parents or spouses receive a letter of
condolence from the dean notifying them
of the book selected in memory of their
student. They also receive a copy of the
bookplate, the dust jacket from the select-
ed book and basic in
structions on how to
do a keyword search
on NOTIS.
Dr. Charlene Clark,
development and pro
motion coordinator
for Evans Library, said
the program is funded
entirely by the library.
“This is not a contri
bution or fund raising
program, it’s just a way
for the library to honor
those no longer with
us at Texas A&M,” she
said.
Adelle Hedleston, public relations staff
assistant and class of‘88, said the program
is a great addition to the Silver Taps cere
mony.
“As a former student and Texas A&M
employee, I think that the Silver Taps
Memorial Program is an appropriate way
to tie the library to Texas A&M’s hallowed
tradition of Silver Taps,” she said.
if
MSC Variety
Show displays
diverse talent of
A&M students
for Parents’
Weekend.
See Page 3
**>.. 1 he sc Ayry’ics
it til the it tvuuihes
ire sets specuil to
lh f red He.-ith
Merling l i: \ am
litu.ifY He an
spurts
Women’s tennis match
against Kansas closes chap
ter on the Omar Smith Center
See Page 7
opinion
Francis: XFest offers another
dose of College Station’s
growing music scene.
See Page 11
online
http://battalion.tamu.edu
Hook up with state and na
tional news through The
Wire, AP’s 24-hour online
news service.