105 YEARS AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
HUH
TUESDAY
August 3 y 1999
Volume 105 • Issue 180 • 6 Pages
College Station, Texas
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• Orientation leaders help
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the transition to college life.
PAGE 3
today’s issue
News 2
Battalion Radio
Tune in to 90.9 KAMU-FM
at 1:57 p.m. for an update on
the plane crash that occurred
in Bryan Sunday night.
opinion
• Bryan should address local
problems before constructing
a new visitor center.
PAGES
In the fold
CODY WAGES/Thh Battalion
Charlotte Jones (from left), quilt maker Lucille Ray, raffle winner Glenda Supak and Texas A&M Vice President of
Administration Dr. Jerry Gaston admire a quilt raffled off this week as part of a scholarship fund-raiser.
Gates appointed
Bush School dean
Former CIA head to serve as interim head
BY RYAN WEST
The Battalion
Robert M. Gates, a former director of
the CIA, will serve as interim dean of the
George Bush School of Government and
Public Service for one year, beginning
Sept.l.
Gates earned his doctorate at George
town University in Russian and Soviet his
tory and his master’s degree in history
from Indiana University.
Gates served as CIA director from No
vember 1991 until January 1993 under
President Bush.
During his 27 years with the CIA, he
represented both major political parties
and served under six presidents.
Gates’ governmental honors include
the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the
CIA’s highest award, which he received
three times; the National Intelligence Dis
tinguished Service Award, which he was
awarded twice; the National Security
Medal and the Presidential Citizen’s
Medal.
Dr. Janis Stout, dean of faculties and
associate provost, said Gates’ academic
experience combined with the his years
spent in public service and various lead
ership positions more than qualifies him
for the position.
Stout said for the next year, Gates will
basically be acting as the Chief Executive
Officer for the Bush School.
“Deans act as C.E.O.’s of their college
by consulting and deciding on an entire
range of academic, faculty and other is
sues,” Stout said.
A&M President Dr. Ray M. Bowen said
Gates offers the Bush School national vis
ibility as the school initiates fund raising.
Bowen said that although Gates lives
in Seattle, he will spend half of the year in
College Station.
“[This year] is our time to convince
him that College Station is a much better
place to live,” Bowen said.
Health-plan change
limits dental choices
plastic problems
Bill would ban credit cards for those under 21
BY CARRIE BENNETT
The Battalion
bill under debate in the U.S. Senate is
iroposing to prevent anyone under 21 from
eceiving a credit card without written con-
ent of their parents or proof of sound fi-
Iindependence.
J /^-fifMThis proposal would amend the Truth in
11 t:|||piding Act, which currently “protects con-
Bners against inaccurate and unfair credit
)illing and credit card practices [through
|] informed use of credit results from an
;areness of the cost thereof by customers
■d to] assure a meaningful disclosure of
break in YouB^ terms 50 ^ iat t * ie consumer will be
,, (..Me to compare various credit terms avail-
myself ” anc * av °id uninformed use of credit.”
ty he was!
ion age invesljl
best explanalil
ties needed a I
The new congressional proposal is
sponsored by Senator Charles Schumer,
D-N.Y., who has worked to require cred
it card companies to inform consumers
about interest rates and late charges they
will pay if they use the credit card.
Peggy Carey, staff accountant in student
financial services department at Texas
A&M, said if the bill passes, students un
der 21 would probably be able to receive a
credit card with their parents consent or
because of financial stability.
She said students need some kind of
counseling on proper use of credit and
money management to avoid financial
troubles.
■I
;lfl
iiiBb
see Credit on Page 2.
Proposed amendment to
Truth in Lending Act:
•The bill proposed to the U.S.
Senate would prevent anyone under
21 years of age from receiving a
credit card statement.
• The bill is being sponsored by
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.
\ / fff
•If the bill is passed there would
be two ways for someone under
21 to receive a credit card:
1) consent of parents
2) proof of financial stability.
Mark McPherson/Th f. Battalion
BY RYAN WEST
The Battalion
Full-time employees of Texas A&M
will no longer have the option of in
cluding dental coverage in addition to
their basic, medical Scott & White
Health Plan, effective Sep.l.
Dr. David Morehead, president of
Scott & White Health Plan, said this
change is because of changes occurring
in health plans nationwide. These
changes were caused by increases in
costs of medical services and an increase
in the cost of pharmaceuticals.
Morehead said that as costs for med
ical services increase, health plans lose
money and consequently, have adjusted
their premiums. The significant adjust
ment affecting University employees is
the loss of dental coverage, or dental rid
ers, currently included in their health
plans.
Other adjustments to the plan include
increased co-payments for emergency
room visits, outpatient mental health
care and most types of office visits, out
patient surgery and home health care
visits.
“Scott and White premiums actually
went up last year,” Morehead said. “It
was then we calculated the new cost for
Texas A&M this year and came up with
a larger number [of dollars] than either
A&M or Scott & White were comfortable
with.”
He said Scott & Whites’ options were
either to cut back on the benefits or to
drop the dental option.
Paul Bozeman, senior health plan an
alyst for Human Resources Administra
tion at A&M, said University employees
can still take out dental coverage by join
ing the A&M Dental Care Plan adminis
tered by BlueCrossBlueShield.
“Employees have expressed concern
about the [adjustments] in the Scott and
White Health Plan,” Bozeman said.
“Because, along with dropping the den
tal coverage, they have made additional
changes in plan design, while rates in
crease.”
NEWS IN BRIEF
lifeySSfdge upholds delay
m erica„di.°f club construction
under sciulflCounty Court at Law Judge Randy
became evid'Michel upheld an injunction that will
may have afffilt progress on the construction of an
a information fflu It-cabaret in the Brazos County In-
clear warhead iustrial Park in Bryan.
■d on that prof] Michel issued his opinion yesterday
veral trips toUhe injunction will prevent injury to the
cretary Bill Pidu stria I park and its tenants.
Tviewedby'T The Brazos County Industrial Foun-
Lee wasbeiMtion is opposing the location of the
ghbaret inside the park, citing poten-
i massively! he! threats to safety, economic devel-
procedures ofjment and land value,
said, referringMichel said the sexually-oriented
cts with Chit business will be a nuisance for which
olations of sphere is no adequate remedy at law;
ansfer of sect therefore, he has ordered the case to
d computers go to trial Oct. 4, with final pretrial con-
re Depart[#Brences and court-ordered mediation
whether to 1 to precede that trial date,
crime.
s /Lis*!?'Commitments found
/ a legal bne^
litted to the^OT Wolf Creek hotel
that LeehaC|;
care” to proiff j Representatives for the City of Col-
dear codesfieBge Station announced that they have
nclassifiedcowceived financing commitments from
Wolf Pen Creek, LTD for the construc
tion of a 200-room hotel.
The new hotel will be located adja
cent to a new 45,000-square-foot city-
owned conference center on Holleman
Drive in the Wolf Pen Creek Corridor.
These financing commitments were
received pursuant to the requirements
of the project agreement between Wolf
Pen Creek, LTD and the city of College
Station.
The agreement was approved by
both parties in April 1998.
Financing commitments present
ed to the City by Wolf Pen Creek, LTD
involve both debt and equity financ
ing for the hotel totaling $21.5 mil
lion. Under the terms of its agree
ment with the City, Wolf Pen Creek,
LTD must close on this financing
within 120 days.
Earlier this year the City Council and
Wolf Pen Creek, LTD approved a guar
anteed maximum price for the munic
ipal conference center that will be ad
joining Wolf Pen Creek, LTD’s
full-service hotel.
A groundbreaking ceremony will be
scheduled for this fall with Wolf Pen
Creek, LTD indicating its intent to fin
ish design and be under construction
by this February.
A&M considers options for Greek housing
BY CARRIE BENNETT
The Battalion
The departments of Student
Life, Residence Life and Student
Affairs are considering using land
north of the University Square
shopping center, across from
Hensel Park on South College Av
enue, for University-built housing
that Greek organizations could
pay rent to use.
In a memo from Dr. J. Malon
Southerland, vice president for
student affairs, to Texas A&M
President Dr. Ray M. Bowen, two
options were listed as to how to
utilize the land known as the Bra
zos Duplex Land.
“The first option would be to
lease the land to individual fra
ternities who would then have
the responsibility to build houses
according to carefully crafted
contract requirements and guide
lines,” Southerland said in the
memo.
Southerland said the second
option would be for the Univer
sity to take responsibility to
build housing facilities on the
property and to lease space to
the chapters.
Ann Goodman, associate direc
tor of student life, said the idea for
creating Greek housing began
when Greek organizations moved
over to the Department of Student
Life. She said the discussions start
ed as a general idea to provide the
opportunity for members of Greek
organizations to move into Uni
versity-built housing and foster a
sense of a Greek community.
“There are many benefits of
pulling together the housing op
portunities of these organiza
tions,” Goodman said. “Right
now, the fraternity houses are
scattered across Brazos County,
and it doesn’t appear that A&M
has a strong Greek system. ”
She said approximately 3,200
students currently participate in
Greek organizations. Goodman
said she did not expect sororities
to express much interest since
they are already settled on
Olympia Way, Munson Avenue
and Athens Drive.
Goodman said students have
shown an interest in forming a
BRADLEY ATCHISON/The Battalion
A section of land on South College Avenue, across from Hensel Park,
is being considered as a site for housing for Greek organizations by
Texas A&M University.
community, which would allow
their Greek organizations to be
come more visible.
“Students said they were in
terested in housing [in the Brazos
Duplex Area] as it relates to be
ing close to campus,” she said.
Dr. Brent Paterson, director
of Student Life, said the option
is still being explored, and the
University is looking into the
cost factors and finding money
to fund the building of the
houses.