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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 25, 1998)
AS SHOWDOWN \gbies rev up for annual mall face-off with rival im horn team of University T^xas. RTS, PAGE 3 CLASH OF THE TEXANS • A&M edges over University of Texas in age-old rivalry. OPINION, PAGE 5 CHECK OUT THE BATTALION ONLINE http://hattalion. tamu.edu WEDNESDAY November 25, 1998 Volume 105 • Issue 64 • 6 Pages ensive. iving ith a ^ (Line)!! with Coupon; I 9 Co Inc COWI IY CLASSES! | urdoys :e reduction hausen '90 ■net.net/~grir 8-4746 BONFIRE Dominos nk Bracelet! ings eelet & Necli!i(':|' try injt purchase Mhilt ist nnual tradition nites attendees 1998 I-Spni Sunil) apply. BY KRISTIN STOCKTON The Battalion t’l Co. our T-nigh 1 age Jan 2 Break early ing special* ordes of spectators looked on sftonfire burned for the 88th last night, symbolizing the .ggies’ “burning desire to beat ilhell out of t.u.” Jonfire was lit shortly after 8 ■■ and burned for about 30 linutes before it fell at 8:35 p.m. Brior to the lighting, the red- >oo ran around Bonfire several mos with their torches. Then ■iredpot picked a location and ■that area of Bonfire on fire. Af- er the lighting, everyone stood •ackand watched the fire spread. JDnce the fire spread, Brandon Jeff, head yell leader and a senior ohtical science major, offered -vords of inspiration and intro- ed-other speakers. Jeff said the Aggies’ focus is 'n /ictory, as opposed to the stu- ■ts of University of Texas vhose focus is on Ricky Williams, ■tor running back for UT. He Iso read the poem “The Last ps Trip,” which is also a tradi- at Bonfire. .C. Slocum, head football oaeh, said he wants to put the ri- y between Texas A&M and UT e and play a “classy game.” exas A&M, University Presi- t Dr. Ray M. Bowen said he es to see everyone in Austin porting the Aggie football jm. He also warned everyone to te'safe on their way to and from he game. ■Dat Nguyen, senior linebacker, mil Dan Campbell, senior tight ‘fl, also spoke. ■Then the yell leaders held the traditional yell practice. Residence halls and outfits in the Corps of Cadets have been working since October to get Bon fire built and ready to burn before the football game against the Uni versity of Texas Friday. The first cut was the weekend of Oct. 3, and cut was held every weekend after that. Push began Nov. 12 and continued until Bon fire was completed. Push is when residence halls and outfits in the Corps of Cadets work 6-hour shifts from either 6 p.m. to mid-, night or midnight to 6 a.m. Centerpole went up Nov. 6 and construction of Bonfire began. The first, second and third stack took 3 or 4 days to complete. The fifth and sixth stacks are reserved for the junior and senior redpots, respectively. The fifth stack went up on Monday, and the sixth stack went up yesterday. The outhouse was the last thing to go up, and it went up sev eral hours before Bonfire began. Before the outhouse is placed on top of Bonfire, a Corps outfit that has put forth the hardest effort on the construction of Bonfire is cho sen by the redpots to place its flag ^ on top. Company C-l was chosen this year. The outhouse had a sign that said “AUSTIN 01.” It was painted with the words “t.u. frat house,” as it is every year. Amy Herndon, junior psychol ogy major, attended Bonfire for the first time this year. “Although I had watched it on TV, I had never been to Bonfire before,” she said. “I was very im pressed by the whole event, espe cially the spirit of the crowd.” Mil 1 % H !■!! !. ' is I \ Eric Newnam/The B vi tai.ion PRADHAN otels on Austin route to offer Lupe Medina discounts BY ANDREA BROCKMAN The Battalion Every Aggie kick-off and score is accom- tied with a powerful cannon blast. How ever, at Friday morning’s football game at Royal Memorial Stadium, the only noise pectators will hear are cheers and outraged les. Also, for those Aggies who will drive o Austin to attend the game, a number of Hotels on the way will offer discounts to (void late-night accidents, lit. Col. Jake Betty, a tactical training of- ■er for the Corps of Cadets, said A&M has not been able to bring the cannon to Austin for more than 10 years. He said the reason for outlawing the can non is unclear. “I was told by the t.u. staff that one of the last times we brought our cannon to the sta dium, it broke out some windows,” he said. Betty said next summer they will test fire the cannon in Royal Memorial Stadium to determine potential damage. “If all goes well, next time the Aggies travel to Austin, they may bring the cannon along,” he said. For those with road-trip plans to Austin NEWS IN BRIEF this weekend. Student Senate passed a bill Sept. 10 in honor of Lupe Medina, a Moses Hall Bonfire crew chief who was killed in an April car accident, to give students who are traveling long distances discounts at motels. Ten motels on the road to Austin will offer discounts between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday of this week. The discounts, normally offered only on weekends will be extended a week for longer holidays, like Christmas and Spring Break. Rob Ferguson, a Northside senator and a sophomore political science major, said the purpose of the bill is to ensure students avoid late-night driving and the risk of falling asleep at the wheel. “Students are prone to falling asleep at the wheel because they are so active,” he said. Ferguson said the amount of discount varies on each motel. A single student can save up to $20 and a couple can save up to $80. Super Eight motels offering a discounts are in Amarillo, New Braunfels, Temple, Navasota and College Station. The Hamp ton Inns also participating are in Longview, Corpus Christi, Laredo, College Station and Austin. Pradhan pleads guilty BY AMANDA SMITH The Battalion Texas A&M computer science professor Dhiraj Pradhan pled guilty Tuesday to abuse of offi cial capacity, including 28 acts of misapplication of government property, in a confession under oath, after more than a year of denying the accusations lodged against him. Pradhan confessed to the third de gree felony offense, re garding the misuse of Texas A&M University System funds for the benefit of his private businesses and the exploitation of student workers for his personal benefit. Pradhan faces punishment of five years deferred adjudica tion probation, a $5,000 fine and restitution of $38,000, which was issued by Judge Carolyn Ruffino of the 361st District Court. TTavis Bryan, Pradhan’s attor ney representing him in the criminal trial, was not available for comment Thesday. Gaines West, Pradhan’s attor ney representing him in the civ il lawsuit filed against Texas A&M, said the deferred adjudi cation will allow Pradhan the chance to avoid conviction of any charges. “It is important because de ferred adjudication means that he will not be convicted on any of the charges against him, if he serves out his period of proba tion,” West said. “This does not affect the civil lawsuit.” West said the civil lawsuit is still in the discovery stage and a trial date has not been set. Of the 28 acts of misapplica tion of government property, Pradhan pled guilty to: • Providing lodging, trans portation and meals for the short courses benefiting his private businesses. • Compensating state em ployees of the Texas A&M Uni versity System for work on the short courses. • Using System funds for printing, mailing and shipping costs for short courses. • Using University funds to advertise short courses. see Pradhan on Page 2. : Mall iustin Turkey Trot benefit charity ■The 8th Annual Thundercloud Bbs Turkey Trot, a competitive 5- Ile a race pitting University of Ixas and Texas A&M students and mni against one another, will e place Thanksgiving in Austin. The race will begin at 9 a.m. at Zilk- ir Park-Soccer Fields in Austin. Stu- Jjnts who are interested in participat- R should arrive between 7:30 and wO a.m. to register. It costs $18 to en- and proceeds go to Caiitas of Austin, lofganization that provides refugees lAmerica with homes, shelters, food, lathing and other basic needs. Winter D. Prosapio, public relation ialist for Thundercloud Subs, said Pporters of A&M wear maroon T- irts and supporters of UT wear or- 'ge T-shirts. She said the race is a competition of school spirit as well as a means to raise money for charity. There will be a first, second and third place winner of the Turkey Trot and a prize will be given the fastest male and female Aggie and Long horn, and to the fastest male and fe male in wheelchairs. Trophies and certificates for Thundercloud Subs will be awarded as prizes. Holiday collection on display at library “Seasons Greetings from the White House,” a private collection of White House Christmas memorabil ia, will open today at the George Bush Presidential Library Complex and run through Jan. 31. After being twice exhibited at the White House, the collection is now being brought to College Station. The exhibit includes originals Christmas cards, official White House Christ mas gifts and prints from presiden tial administrations ranging from Coolidge to Clinton. Brian Blake, George Bush Library and Museum spokesperson, said there will be an exhibit of White House Christmas ornaments from the Bush administration as well as an original painting by President Eisenhower of President Washington. Tickets are $3 for adults and $2.50 for students and seniors. Children under 16 are free. For more information call 260-9552. Lecture addresses former governor Karl Rove, a member of Governor William P Clements’ staff during his first term, and currently a consultant to political candidates and office holders, said there are three factors that contributed to putting a Re publican governor in the state cap ital for the first time in 114 years. Rove said Clements’ background, wealth and ability to campaign in rur al Texas were the factors affecting Clements’ victory in 1978. Rove said Clements was a wealthy business man involved in the oil industry who ran the largest media blitz ever seen. “He not only launched a huge air campaign, but also launched a ground campaign in which he set up 35 phone centers which were responsible for contacting 1.2 million households who would be potential voters,” he said. Rove said Clements’ legacy did not end with his victory, but Clements helped broaden and deepen the strength of the Repub lican Party in Texas. Assault suspects identified BY JENNIFER JONES The Battalion The members of the Corps of Cadets who assaulted a freshman female Corps member at Bonfire site have been identified. Bob Wiatt, director of University Police Department, said. Wiatt said the cadets who at tacked the woman were acting un der instructions from a male sopho more cadet. “We identified the two freshmen who tackled the woman on in structions from a sophomore cadet to take her pot,” Wiatt said. The female cadet was physical ly assaulted at Bonfire site Oct. 31 when two male cadets tackled her and began to “punch her with closed fists,” according to the po lice report. The sophomore and freshmen were identified by UPD officials, and Wiatt said they submitted writ ten letters of apology to the woman that stated they did not intend to hurt her when they attempted to take her pot. Wiatt said the female cadet signed a non-prosecutive affidavit form which states she does not want to pursue criminal charges against the men. Wiatt said UPD will refer the matter to the Office of the Com mandant and officials there will de cide if they want to pursue any ad ministrative or disciplinary action against the cadets. From there, the matter could be referred to Student Conflict Resolution Services, Wiatt said, if the female cadet wants the University to pursue action against the cadets.
