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105 YEARS AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
IE2 • 22 PAGES • 2 SECTIONS
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS
MONDAY, AUGUST 31,1998
Traditions
Howdy
Rudder
Bus Ops makes changes
On-campus routes adjusted for safety, better coverage
BY MEGAN WRIGHT
The Battalion
The Texas A&M University on-campus bus
routes have changed this fall, and now four
on-campus routes will cover the entire Uni
versity campus.
Gary Jackson, a manager at Texas A&M
Bus Operations, said the primary reason for
the changes is student safety.
Bus Operations officials observed the Fish
Pond area since the beginning of the Spring
1998 semester and noticed an increase of traf
fic and students waiting for the various buses.
Looking to avoid any accidents or problems,
A&M Bus Operations decided to close Fish
Pond to all through traffic this semester and to
eventually build a covered bus stop.
The four on-campus routes this semester
are Rudder, Traditions, Howdy and Gig ‘em.
In addition, a George Bush School Express is
also available.
Rudder and Traditions bus routes were al
tered slightly from last semester to cover more
area on campus and provide access to the ma
jor academic locations; these will run on 44
minute intervals.
The Howdy bus route runs every 20 min
utes and provides service from the Rec Cen
ter/Reed Arena area to main campus.
The Gig ‘em route runs every 20 minutes
and provides service from the YMCA/Fish
Pond area to Agronomy Road and the Wehn-
er area.
Bus route maps are available in the PITS
office in the Koldus Building.
&M prof
eturns to
Jniversity
1 BY AMANDA SMITH
The Battalion
pended Texas A&M University profes-
liraj Pradhan returns to the classroom
row after a year’s paid leave from the
rsity.
rrneys for Texas A&M consented to Prad-
[emporary return at a federal hearing in
last Thursday.
dhan said he is looking forward to re-
g to the University but said he is uncer-
liofhow much time he will spend in the
|room.
| am really looking forward to the semester
ing,” Pradhan said. “I will probably be in
■lassroom part time, but I still have to
■ge my schedule. ”
tThe Texas A&M computer science pro-
lir’s return to the classroom is contin-
M upon the outcome of his case appeal-
Ithe suspension. The case will be
Itwed by a six-member committee of pro-
■irs Sept. 28.
Pradhan was suspended last August,
n University officials accused him of
ippropriating more than $100,000 in
/ersity funds and funding from a Na-
al Science Foundation (NSF) grant for
wo private businesses,
ince his suspension from A&M, Pradhan
denied the accusations made against him
exas A&M.
IA native of India who once held the Univer-
is highest endowed chair, Pradhan claimed
allegations against him were driven by
:m from top University officials,
radhan continues to pursue a $75 mil-
lawsuit against the University and the
tsA&M University system on the basis
trial discrimination and violation of con-
itional rights.
see Prof on Page 1A.
Cadets show
skills during
Fish Review
Freshman Orientation Week
JAKE SCHRICKLING/Thk Battalion
Members of the Texas A&M Class of '02 take an oath to the Corps of Cadets, the University and to academics at the Fish
Orientation Week review on the O. R. Simpson Drill Field Saturday.
New members introduced to Corps life
BY AMY CURTIS
The Battalion
The Corps of Cadets Fish Review
Saturday on O.R. Simpson Drill Field
was a moment eagerly awaited for by
the new class of freshmen Corps of
Cadets inductees.
Kelly Garrity, Deputy Corps Com
mander, Freshman Orientation Week
(FOW) director and a senior journal
ism major, said Fish Review is a time
when the freshmen Corps members
have a chance to show off what they
have learned to their parents and up
perclassmen.
The freshmen were assigned to
their respective outfits for a week of
training and learning the ins and outs
of Corps life, like how to wear their
uniforms, march in step and clean
their rooms.
Garrity said it is always a proud
shock to the parents to see their chil
dren transformed into shaved, uni
formed cadets.
General M. T. “Ted” Hopgood be
gan the review by delivering an oath
which was repeated by every Corps
member, and then the new cadets
marched by the reviewing stand and
were graded by the officers and salut
ed by the general.
Garrity said she looks forward to a
new year with a large turnout, over
800 new cadets.
“It’s very gratifying to see that all
the work that was put into this week
is paying off with a sharp freshmen
class,” she said.
see Review on Page 2A.
BY MEGAN WRIGHT
The Battalion
On Aug. 23, approximately 800
freshmen began the annual week-long
introduction to the Corps of Cadets
known as Freshman Orientation Week,
and the week concluded with a Fish Re
view on the O.R. Simpson Drill Field
this past Saturday.
Corps staff, specifically the Corps
Commander Tase Bailey and Deputy
Corps Commander Kelly Bailey, are re
sponsible for planning the procedures
and operations down the smallest details
to ensure the safety and well-being of all
cadets involved.
Lance Hill, Corps of Cadets public re
lations officer and a senior environmen
tal design major, said, “The purpose of
FOW is to introduce the incoming fresh
men class to the Corps of Cadets lifestyle
and the role of a fish before school be
gins. It is a transition period.”
Chuck Barrett, a freshman computer
engineering major, said the majority of
freshmen have a decent idea of what to
expect from FOW.
“I expected intensive training and an
introduction to the whole Aggie spirit,
but FOW was a lot better than that,” Bar
rett said. “Life, for the most part, isn’t ex
actly a big challenge. Here (in the Corps)
it is challenging just to make the bed.”
see Freshmen on Page 8A.
ingineering welcomes largest-ever class
M4 freshmen entering Texas A&M program largest such class in nation this year
BY PATRICK PEABODY
The Battalion
Yesterday the United State’s largest
eshman engineering class met in Rud-
!r Auditorium.
The 2,064 incoming engineering stu-
!nts were greeted by Dr. C. Roland
aden, dean of the A&M College of En-
neering.
Last year’s fall freshmen class was
ound 1,600.
Haden introduced the welcome
leaker, Dr. Ronald J. Robinson, chief
■chnology officer of Texaco Inc.
Robinson spoke about new technolo-
>es, including a new process that
'Quid allow to transfer around 60 giga
bytes of information across the Internet.
He also gave some thoughts on the en
gineering profession.
“The future is depen
dent on you to develop
new technologies”
— Dr. Ronald J. Robinson
Chief technology officer, Texaco Inc.
“The future is dependent on you to de
velop new technologies,” Robinson said.
Dr. A1 Boggess, a professor of mathe
matics spoke about MATH 151, Engineer
ing Calculus, and offered some tips on how
to succeed in the course. He told students
that they really needed to work ahead.
“You need to keep up with your
work, and practice,” he said.
Also, some engineering students
talked to the freshmen about what they
can expect in engineering and related
some personal experiences.
At the end of the meeting the engi
neering staff for the fall semester was
introduced to the students.
In a press release, Lori Cardenas of
the Engineering Academic Programs Of
fice said a typical large class is around
1,800 students, but this year’s incoming
University Children s Center ready
to open to students, faculty today
• A fter several years of
preparation, debate,
on-campus daycare
facility accepts clients.
BY PATRICK PEABODY
The Battalion
The Texas A&M University Children’s
Center will begin operation today. The di
rector of the center, Dienitha Fontenot, as
sumed her position in June.
The Children’s Center’s aim is to take
care of children whose parents are facul
ty, staff or students of A&M.
The program is set up to serve 114 chil
dren on a full-time basis and an addition
al 40 children on a part time basis.
The fees at the Center include a one
time enrollment fee of $35 paid at the
time of actual enrollment, and a semester
supply/material fee payable at the begin
ning of each semester.
Children who are being cared for on a
full-time basis can be at the center from 7
a.m. to 6 p.m.
Anyone interested in enrolling children
at the Child Care Center should fill out the
application at www.childrens-center.
tamu.edu/application.htm, and return it to
the Office of Vice President for Adminis
tration, Attn: Children’s Center Enroll
ment, 218 Administration Building, Texas
A&M University, College Station, Texas
77843-1247, or via campus mail to Mail
Stop 1247.