tai/kj LD d I The ip 1 ion 105 YEARS AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY THURSDAY March 25,1999 Volume 105 • Issue 115 • 2 Sections • 20 Pages College Station, Texas opinion • Boxing: Bitter fans watch as last dignified sport succumbs to political, monetary scandal. PAGE 11A today’s issue Toons 2A News 6A Battalion Radio Tune in for details on minority bone marrow donors at 1:57p.m. on 90.9KAMU-FM. aggielife • Second annual North by Northgate begins featuring over 90 bands, songwriters and DJs. INSERT Jiftfli id Golf/Morris he Austin i andidates ropose olutions Monster Madness i TCfllForwm allows ii 0 r“ i track andidates to liscuss common 3 mate ach Tim Cass WOblCfll S x peeling a tougt ^BY RICHARD PADDACK The Battalion t a te is a solid f iss said. “They’ll i ly ton/ji;" ’ Student body presidential can- j though (heir tes f< e lded an assortment of letweeiuhetvjoif 6 ^* 60 ^ 011 Questions from vari- ild still play a fads! student organizations during ch ip rum hosted by the Student lly wecantfytiHf rnment Association in the e forourfootbafSC Flagroom yesterday, un in the Sugar playing a douL e Aggies to si The forum panel consisted of the Housing Affairs Committee, Academic Affairs Committee, Stu dent Life Issues Committee and Student Activities and Organiza tions Committee. Each student organization asked one question to the six stu dent body president candidates. Parking was the biggest issue addressed at the forum, and the candidates were asked for solu tions to parking problems other than fee increases. One candidate proposed using debit cards for the on-campus parking garages. An other candidate suggested creat ing more bicycle lanes in order to encourage students to ride bikes instead of driving. Other questions involved the candidates’ visions for Texas A&M in the next year. Several candi dates agreed that A&M needs more diversity in campus life. Wm & s:4 crease approved ? very e usanoppofi- ) f our guys, 1 i'ork so hard,* 1 1 or No. 12. ay’s RolexG ie Aggies fell ig undefeated■ B Y MEGAN E. WRIGHT riod, defeating The Battalion a te University;' -. y of North Car^ student Senate passed a bill ap- b ird straight:roving t [ ie University Authorized \ggies’No. I jitjon increase from $34 to $38 ophomores erfcemester credit hour during its id ShuonMawedting last night. ?d doublesteady President Dr. Ray Bowen will resent the Texas A&M Board of egfcnts with fee increase propos- s today. a t I Bu 16, P ro P° sa l s ca H f° r increasing _| ^je fComputer Access Fee from $6 y lljfi $1 per semester credit hour and J v te Library Use Fee from $4 to $5 erbemester credit hour. & so passed was the Under- ^IJ/mound Pedestrian Way Bill, calling ** ir a pedestrian underpass to re- Jjj|e the existing overpass cross- aave beena ,: ig(Wellborn Road. A similar pro- . This season asll will be reviewed by the Board I Overall atidl under coaci’ countered initf 'ecent years a Mexico to § DA A tournainf!| year expa -obos’ early a i ch include^ • n I teams. A A West! A/eeks ago, I t ired of thei r s conference [J s to Connect^ :i est thing t ■t in Albuquf- ty,” Bliss saitf reason, Bliss raise to a s3*y » total finance g basketball : »adets Forrest C. Lane, a ju- o and televisMol political science major, and dmated at mo'ia|k C. Macicek, a junior busi- ?ss administration major, have coach atSMB-i selected to serve as corps n he conipib )I I manc j er anc j ( ] e p U ty corps tl^?n iq e 8R^ I l mander ’ respectively, dur- ^7. 62 whiled^ lhe 1999-2000 school year, rfrom 1975-8H | ane an ^ Macicek were se- Billy Hicks, a member of the Reed Arena set m SALLIE TURNERh hi. B \i i ai k >n up crew, instructs the dump truck where to place the dirt for Friday’s Monster Truck Ral- of Regents during its meeting to day. If passed, the funding and lo cation of the underpass will be re- University proposed fee increases: •Credit hours - from $34 to $38 •Computer access fee - from $6 to $7 AggieCon celebrates 30th year Science fiction convention brings celebrities to speak, exchange ideas try fn rom $4 to $5 searched and decided upon later. The Northgate Street Lighting see Increase on Page 6. BY CARRIE BENNETT The Battalion AggieCon XXX, the largest stu dent-run science-fiction conven tion in the United States, will be March 25-28 in the MSC. MSC Cepheid.Variable, Texas A&M’s science fiction, fantasy and horror committee, will host the 30th annual event. Thirty speakers, including celebrities, Nigel Bennett, Ted Raimi, and Larry Elmore will highlight the event. Nigel Ben nett, an author and actor known for his part as Lucien LaCroix in the television series “Forever Knight,” will speak Friday. Raimi, who plays Joxer in “Xena: Warrior Princess,” will speak Saturday morning. Elmore, a fantasy artist known for his work in the Dungeons and Dragons book series will share ideas and concepts concerning science fiction illustration. Amie Gantt, the dealers’ room director and a senior recreational parks and wildlife major, said the weekend will include many activ ities for those interested in sci ence fiction and fantasy. The deal ers’ room will bring together vendors of science fiction, fanta sy and horror merchandise. “There will be an art show and a charity auction that will benefit Scotty’s House, a non-profit orga nization that provides help to abused and neglected children,” Gantt said. “Autographed books, comics and artwork in addition to non-mass produced originals and unpublished manuscripts will be auctioned off for Scotty’s House.” Anime, Japanese adult anima tion, and computer gaming will be happening 24 hours a day Thursday through Sunday. “One of the activities is nostal gic computer gaming,” Gantt said. “ A network of computers will be set up in a room and peo ple can play different games against each other. One of the games will be see AggieCon on Page 6. MARK C. MACICEK BY CARRIE BENNETT The Battalion Corps commander, deputy appointed Highest ranking cadets plan for future lected from 26 other cadets by a board of military officers and current cadet leaders. Lane, existing university rela tions sergeant, will become the highest-ranking cadet in the 2,200-member Corps of Cadets and a cadet colonel of the corps. He will lead the largest uni formed body of students outside the U.S. service academies. Lane said the duties of the corps commander vary. “The corps commander pro vides a direction for the member of the corps and move the corps in that direction,” He said. “Oth er duties of the corps comman der include providing public re lations for the Corps of Cadets and recruitment of future cadets.” As the 1998-1999 school year comes to an end. Lane is mak ing plans for his leadership po sition next school year. “I want to continue the posi tive atmosphere of the corps that Tase Bailey, the current corps commander, has created,” Lane said. Lane and Macicek said they want the Corps to become more involved in the community. “Since we are the largest or ganization on campus, I feel that we need to be more involved in the community,” Lane said. “We have the resources to do more. FORREST C. LANE and I plan to utilize them to get the corps in the community.” Macicek said the change of command is a gradual process that has already begun. “Tase Bailey, current corps commander, and Kelly Garrity, current deputy corps comman der, are showing us the ins and outs and what works and what doesn’t,” Macicek said. “Forrest and 1 are slowly taking over the reins.” Research Week enhances awareness More than 200 undergraduate and gradu ate students are participating in Texas A&M’s second annual Student Research Week as part of an effort to enhance awareness of stu dent involvement in research at A&M. Posters displaying student research pro jects will be in Rudder Exhibit Hall today from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Oral presentations and competition will be today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in various locations throughout Rudder Tower. Seventy A&M faculty members and mentors will serve as judges for the poster and oral competitions where students will compete for $10,000 in cash awards. In conjunction with Student Research Week, the Office of Professional School Ad vising will present “Advising for Graduate Studies” Friday from 1:50 to 4 p.m. in 201 Harrington Education Center. The Society of Mexican-American Engi neers and Scientists will present U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady and Mark Westhusin, profes sor of veterinary physiology and pharma-