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104™ YEAR ♦ ISSUE 1B9 • 8 PAGES
TODAY
TOMORROW
COLLEGE STATION • TX
FRIDAY • MAY 1 • 1998
lEWS
Briefs
sports
aylor and Texas A&M face
ffforthe regular-season Big
2title in three-game series.
See Page 6
opinion
t: Stupid actions of
idents deserve reflection
m correction.
See Page 7
^//battalion.tamu.edu
lo kup with state and na-
news through The
'Ws 24-hour online
^service.
Time to do or die
izos Bash brings
jt concert to Arena
jibe 6th annual Brazos Bash will pre-
nier Saturday as the inaugural com
ity event in the Reed Arena special
Its center. Proceeds from the event
nefitthe St. Joseph Regional Re-
lilitation Center.
[fhe bash will be highlighted by Ag-
|ncl country and western performer
Trevino.
pening the entertainment venue
e the Brazos Valley debut of The
ns, daughters of country music sen-
Loretta Lynn.
Ispecial traditions show will fea-
■The Aggie Wranglers, The Singing
Kts, the Symphonic Band and a
■■ light production.
fcading the volunteers are the
B8 honorary chairpersons: A&M's
Berry Adkisson, A&M President Ray
Ben and wife Sally, Red and Lou
Bhion and M. Bookman Peters,
oceeds from the 1998 Bash will
dicated to providing an aquather-
I to assist with specialized ther-
ograms at St. Joseph’s.
■ckets can be purchased for $12
feiy ticketmaster outlet, Foley’s, the
|SC box office, Rothers Bookstore,
looned Records and DoubleQuick
Stores.
jgie to be honored
i fall Silver Taps
A 25-year-old Texas A&M student
jid on Apr. 28 at 10 p.m. Nathan
i Hightower was a senior mechan-
E8lengineering major. His wife, Chrys-
nn-Huereca Hightower, resides in
ftord. The cause of his death is un-
, as the autopsy is still pending,
htower will be remembered at the
. 8 Silver Taps ceremony next fall,
nfbrmation on the funeral and burial
Bices is not yet available.
Students to celebrate
th dinner, dance
ie Turkish Student Association at
A&M University presents Turkish
Monday.
inner and live music will begin at
im. in the MSC Ballroom followed
gfolkdance performance at 8 p.m.
idder Theater.
od will be prepared by a profes-
ial Turkish chef, and the menu will
ide Baklava, a pastry, along with
sensational Turkish delicacies,
ie award-winning Anatolian Uni-
ItyFoIkdance Ensemble, which is
ling from Turkey, will perform folk-
fces.
)uth Texas College
Law alters name
[To eliminate any public confusion
yarding the relationship between
iTexas College of Law and Texas
I University, South Texas has mod-
lits name. Prior to consideration
^decision by the Texas Higher Ed-
Coordinating Board of Texas
P University’s request to add law
f its table of programs, South Texas
[II operate under the name South
las College of Law affiliated with
las A&M University.
INS I D-E-
hway 6 bids a fond
ewell to College Station.
See Page 3
Voters to decide Northgate garage
By Robert Smith and
Colleen Kavanagh
Staff writers
Voters will take to the polls on Satur
day to decide whether there is a need for
a Northgate parking garage.
College Station citizens will vote on a
proposed city ordinance that would lim
it the city from spending, using lending or
granting funds for the garage. A "no” vote
supports the garage, and a “yes” vote op
poses the garage.
The proposed four-story, 752-space
garage would be located on 1.65 acres be
tween College Main and Second Street
that the City of College Station would ac
quire. The estimated cost of the garage is
$6,807,639, including $427,620 for land
acquisition, $5,184,900 for actual con
struction, $832,176 for construction con
tingencies and $362,943 for architect’s
fees. The proposed fee for garage cus
tomers is $1 per hour with a maximum of
$2 per day.
Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney and Council-
men Hub Kennady, David Hickson and
Larry Marriot support the project. Coun
cilman Dick Birdwell, Steve Esmond and
Swiki Anderson oppose the project.
In an interview earlier this month,
Councilman Dick Birdwell said there is no
See Editorial, Page 7
need for a Northgate parking garage.
“I was out in Northgate this after
noon,” he said, “and there were over 120
empty spaces. They’ve (parking survey
ors) overestimated parking needs. It’s go
ing to be big money for the taxpayers.”
Kennady said that many of the avail
able parking spaces are one-hour only
spaces.
“If a parking garage was built, I think a
number of students would want to use it
— especially with the elimination of
Mud lot.”
Larry Haskins, attorney for Jack Culpep
per, owner of the Mud lot, announced in
April that Mud lot would be closing in De
cember 1998. Mud lot, used by an estimat
ed 700 motorists per day, will be used for ho
tel and retail development.
“This is an opportunity to provide a
substantial amount of parking for stu
dents and citizens in the Northgate area,”
Kennady said. “I hope that it is not a
missed opportunity.”
Councilman Swiki Anderson said he
opposes the project because it is neither
necessary nor cost justified.
“It is going to cost the city a great deal
of money,” he said. “Also, students will
have to park in the garage because part of
the plan is no on-street parking.”
...7:
Courtesy of Arkitex Studio
Computer model of proposed Northgate garage.
Bardin Nelson owns five lots with two duplexes
and a five-bedroom house on the designated park
ing garage area.
Please see Garage on Page 8.
Spokin’
mmm
ROBERT MCKAY/The Battalion
Geno Mayo, a sophomore applied math major, makes adjustments to a new bicycle at Aggieland
Cycling and Fitness Thursday afternoon.
Child care center to open Aug. 31
Initial enrollment will be selected by lottery to limit size
By Suzanne Riggs
Staffwriter
Texas A&M will open a child care center Aug. 31
to help accommodate the needs of its faculty, staff
and students with young children.
The 10,310 square foot Texas A&M Children’s Cen
ter, currently under construction behind the married
student housing on Hensel Dr., will serve 114 chil
dren full-time and up to 40 children part-time, rang
ing from the age of six weeks to prekindergarten.
Rosie Schoenfeld, executive secretary for the vice
president of administration’s office and a member
of the Child Care Advisory Committee, said the Chil
dren’s Center will promote high-quality child care.
She said that it will offer a low student-to-teacher
ratio to guarantee the attention each child needs.
“This kind of environment is especially impor
tant for the toddlers and the infants because they
need a lot of holding and nurturing,” she said.
The Children’s Center staff will consist of teach
ers with degrees that have had experience working
with young children and student aides to make sure
the program has a strong educational base.
“We want the students to receive a great educa
tion on cun ent events, and especially diversity since
A&M has such a large, diverse population,” she said.
Gaile Cannella, associate professor of educa
tion curriculum and instruction and a member
of the Child Care Advisory Committee on Pro
gramming, said getting the parents involved is
another program goal.
“There are lots of different types of ways for par
ents to be involved,” she said. “One way that is be
ing discussed is to have them help determine the
curriculum by volunteering in the classroom and
serving on a child care board.”
Mary Miller, associate vice president for admin
istration and chair of the Child Care Center Adviso
ry Committee, said the Center will be accessible to
students.
“This is especially important for students be
cause there really isn’t anything in town that can ac
commodate student schedules of working at night
or weekends, or just needing just part-time child
care,” she said. “And nothing beats its location.”
Miller said the Child Care Center should be avail
able to everyone, including the low-paid staff and
students.
“We’ll be doing fund raising to supply them with
need-based scholarships to pay for the child care
fees.”
She warned that the demand for the Center will
probably exceed supply.
As a result, the initial enrollment will be han
dled by a lottery drawing, with the remaining
names placed on a waiting list. After that, the se
lection process will be based on a first-com-
first-served basis.
“We encourage everyone to apply and to get their
applications in as soon as possible,” she said.
Applications are due May 15. For more informa
tion or to obtain a Children’s Center application, call
845-0555.
Donation begins
first endowment
By Jennifer Wilson
Staffwriter
The family owners of Blue Bell Ice
Cream of Brenham recently granted
$500,000 to the Bright matching program
to establish an endowed faculty chair for
the director of the George Bush School of
Government and Public Service.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed F. Kruse and Mrs.
Howard W. Kruse are the first to endow a
faculty chair using the Bright matching
program which establishes a series of $1
million endowments for faculty chairs
throughout the University. The program
uses part of a $25 million donation given
by H.R. “Bum” Bright, class of ’43.
Dr. Charles Herman, director of the
Bush School, will be the first to hold the
new chair.
“It will be a special honor to be the first
to hold the Ed and Howard Kruse chair,”
Herman said. “The Kruses are wonderful
people who have shown an interest in the
Bush School from the beginning.”
The new gift from the Kruses for half
the total endowment will be matched by
an equal amount from the Bright fund.
The Kruse brothers are both Texas A&M
graduates. Ed Kruse, class of ’49, is chair
man of the Board of Blue Bell Creameries.
Howard Kruse, class of ’52, is CEO of the
firm.
James J. Palincsar, senior vice presi
dent for development at the A&M Foun
dation, said it is rare for the University to
have a matching program of this level.
“Our goal is to encourage anyone
who’s been considering endowing a
chair to move forward now and take ad
vantage of this unique opportunity,” Pai-
incsar said.
Melissa Baird, director of public rela
tions for the A&M Foundation, said A&M
currently has more than 90 endowed
chairs, but the Kruses’ chair will be the
first of 30 chairs matched by the Bright
program.
“Endowments such as the Kruses’ help
maintain the superior level of scholarship
at A&M by funding the ground-breaking
teaching and research efforts of top facul
ty,” Baird said.
Bill Perry, dean of faculties and associ
ate provost, said endowments greatly
benefit the University.
“Endowed chairs not only recognize
outstanding faculty; more importantly,
they enhance faculty programs and en
able the faculty to do and achieve even
more for the University,” Perry said.
The Kruses’ commitment to the Bush
school will help the school to research
policy problems and to educate people
who wish to dedicate their lives to public
service.
“The resources of their endowment
will provide me and my successors with
the means of contributing to the excel
lence of the Bush school, and enable us to
help talented students and dedicated
young faculty,” Herman said.
The mission of the Bright chair pro
gram is to increase endowed chair posi
tions at the University and to attract and
retain top-flight faculty.
Teen birth rates
drop across nation
WASHINGTON (AP) — American
teen-agers are having fewer babies, in
cluding a dramatic decrease among black
girls to the lowest rate on record, the gov
ernment said Thursday.
Teen birth rates are down in every
state. The reasons: less sex and more birth
control, statistics indicate.
“Our concerted effort to reduce teen
pregnancy is succeeding,” said Donna
Shalala, the secretary of health and hu
man services.
Black teen birth rates fell by 21 percent
between 1991 and 1996. In 1996, 9.2 per
cent of black teen-age girls gave birth, the
lowest since the govemmerV ^ span keep
ing that statistic.
Hispanic teens are now
give birth, though their rates
10.7 percent in 1995 to 10
1996, the first significant d
Despite the decreases,
among both minority
more than double that
agers, which have been s , .
since 1991. In 1995, the A-
able for non-Hispanic w
of those teens had babi.
Nearly half a millioi„
agers give birth each year, in 1996,
there was about one birth for every 20
girls ages 15 to 19, down 11.9 percent
since 1991, accord!' ^ to the analysis
released Thursday
Center for Health S
Most teen mothe
rates dropped mos
girls 15 to 17.
nt
mieen-
Teen births
A breakdown by race of teen
birthrates and percentage change,
1991 and 1996.*
Birth rates per 1,000 women
age 15-19
Total Percent change
1996 55
1991
Non-Hispanic White
39
Black
92
American Indian
75
Asian or Pacific Islander
25
vm
Hispanic
102
-11.9%
-9.4%
-20.6%
-11.6%
-7.3%
-4.8%
‘Data unavailable for non-Hispanic White,
1995 figure used.
th° Na ’onal
'foLr 19, but the
'latically among
Source: National Center for Health Statistics AP
Experts attribute the decline to less
sexual activity among boys and girls
and greater use of birth control in the
age of AIDS.