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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 25, 1999)
nesday • August 25, 1999 Vol. 105 • Issue 183 * 20 Pages a, n’s defe le( J me for,- e future P s of strai«!> :e| iseand' 3 et to will 0 go,"Rc fence inL,- Pfess secre dent Clim. Robertson •reniely dedicated vant.” “ He tmordinar during i conflict, “I will loci working w nto a new ■obertson 'Poigned luclearwei into an ei i be is a firs rope toettpa and rely INSIDE aggielife lom and Dad — Send me money. j|ook buying poses |nancial burden for students. Page 4 sports fomen’s soccer prepares for season openers against Mahoma State University and e University of Oklahoma. Page 15 opinion Ihe students are coming! Jnrollment and traditions Jan help or Hinder Itudents. Page 19 oti state Dimer FBI official says agents Ired on Davidian complex. Page 6 1111 Alcohol Ojnruled cause of death xe BY CARRIE BENNETT AND EMILY R. SNOOKS The Battalion (AP) - ng away if /es and rfl day tradf:| fathered the mas; tims. ’ve sufferi layer Eill 1, pack orrow a medical examination con- w that yu Eluded Michael Duane Wagener, ■ comet® a junior environmental design eyondrW major of Porter, died Aug. 3, the religion.' morning of his 21st birthday, of ust bloelacute alcohol poisoning, killedniB An autopsy revealed his blood twobrofe alcohol content was 0.48, well limselfJ 4bove the legal limit of intoxica- idgeoned: tlon. : to death® Sergeant diaries Fleeger, serviceb®riminal Investigation Supervisor ice. Iteni' f for College Station Police Depart- iall, red fitment (CSPD), said the depart- e vied®jpent is investigating events lead ing up to his death. eM J He said the department is Ivorking to uncover how Wagen- |r obtained the alcohol prior to midnight, who provided the alco hol and where all of these activi- ]ies took place. “At this point we are continu ing to investigate the where, who | And when of the situation and see rrr|||«vhat charges are applicable, and f dllhey will be taken up with the district Attorney,” he said, rafia (rlfl Fleeger said charges could pos- rancheiBibly be brought upon any person theOui md any licensed establishment aracterO vho supplied Wagener with alco- i in ast iol prior to midnight, ssaidyfil Legislation introduced last g place February in the Texas House of ghwayj Representatives will lower the le- 44, amt Jal level of blood alcohol con- entration (BAC) necessary for id. Anoi®n individual to be considered killing egally intoxicated from 0.10, the current level, to 0.08, effective 5ept. 1. According to this new limit, jy, foitf Wagener’s BAC would have been six times the legal limit. The purpose of the amend ment according to the Office of :ation hern Tc ; les, , police pent ingfor House Bill Analysis includes the nearb)' “belief that individuals are sig- n gtwof nificantly impaired at levels low er than Texas state law currently allows.” The federal government has passed legislation which would give “specific funds” to a state if the BAC is lowered to 0.08. Omar Cantu, enforcement agent with Texas Alcoholic Bev erage Commission (TABC), said he is conducting a joint investi gation into the incident with the police department. He said CSPD will investigate criminal matters and TABC will investigate admin istrative violations, which are vi olations covered under the TABC code. Cantu said criminal charges will not necessarily be brought up, but the TABC does have the r *ght to press criminal charges. see Alcohol on Page 2. New Corps of Cadets members face many challenges, changes BY STUART HUTSON The Battalion The beginning of the 1999 fall semester will mean a lifestyle change for many of the 600 plus freshmen registered in the Corps of Cadets. Major J. H. “Doc” Mills, me dia relations coordinator for the Corps of Cadets, said the Corps can expect as many as one hun dred additional cadets to sign up once the school year begins, and 85 percent of the cadets are expected to stay through the first semester. “Last year, we kept 85 per cent of the 780 freshmen in the Corps,” he said. “This year we are going to try for even more,” Mills said. Aaron Farnum, a member of the Corps of Cadets and a senior computer engineering major, said one problem encountered by freshmen is the inability to manage their time. “What I suggest is that [freshmen] learn how to use time effectively with a focus on academics,” Farnum said. According to a survey of freshmen leaving the Corps, one of the major complaints stu dents had was a lack of free time. Mark Macicek, Deputy Corps Commander and a senior busi- Sophomore Chris May (left) and senior John Anderson (middle) look on as Freshman O (right) drinks ness major, said the structured water while practicing drill instruction, a mandatory drill for all cadets who are not members of the Ag- time frame’, including 20 hours g'e Band, on the Quadrangle Monday afternoon. a week of mandatory study freshman and sophomore years Forrest Lane, Corps of “Sometimes a freshman.can’t time, helps develop a sense of than non-regs.” Cadets Commander and a se- see the entire picture of all the discipline with regards to acad- Macicek said the studying em- nior political science and eco- benefits the Corps can offer,” he emic success. phasis is one of the reasons stu- nomics major, said he advises said." But the more time you “The Corps helps put an em- dents in the Corps averaged beHef freshmen in the Corps to con- spend in the Corps, the more phasis on academics, ” he said, grades than their civilian counter- tinue through the rough times you realize that it is teaching “As a result. Corps members of- parts in nine out of the 10 colleges they may encounter their first ten average better grades their for the last spring semester. year. see Corps on Page 2. ExCEL aims to ease transition to college BY STUART HUTSON The Battalion Incoming freshmen will have the opportu nity to learn skills and techniques for making a smooth transition from high school to college at the Excellence Uniting Culture Education and Leadership (ExCEL) orientation conference given by the Department of Multicultural Ser vices Aug. 27 and 28. Tiffani Darden, senior political science ma jor and president of the ExCEL program, said the program focuses on helping minority stu dents adapt to the new academic and social ex periences of college life by means of providing assistance from upperclassmen, called team leaders, and minority faculty members. “We want to show these freshmen that, even though they are going to a predominately white school, minorities can still fit in and reach be yond their own comfort zone,” she said. Lorna Hermosura, assistant coordinator of student retention for the Department of Multi cultural Services, said since the program’s be ginning in 1987 it has helped more than 1,800 students adjust to the college environment. “This conference gives students the survival tools to succeed in college ” —Tiffani Darden ExCel president She said the conference will offer workshops and social activities to help students find their own identity at Texas A&M University and un derstand other cultures and the traditions of A&M. She said there will also be programs to emphasize academic and time management skills and the majority of the 11 workshops will be held at Rudder Fountain, Rudder Tower and MSC. Darden said one activity will be the “Cul tural Extravaganza” Friday night in the MSC. This event invites many culturally different or ganizations from A&M to participate. Hermo sura said the conference will also have work shops designed for parents of incoming freshmen in order to help them prepare for the new situations they will encounter for exam ple, the student’s absence at home. “The workshop will help ease the fears of the parents by letting them talk to parents of current students, helping them understand the traditions here, and letting them network with parents and faculty,” Hermosura said. Darden said she encourages everyone, not just minorities, to attend the conference. “This conference gives students the survival see ExCEL on Page 2. Leadership conference to focus on networking BY BROOKE HODGES The Battalion Leaders from various campus or ganizations will join together Aug. 25through 27 for the 47th MSC An nual Fall Leadership Conference held in TYinidad. Barney Fudge, adviser for the Fall Leadership Conference, said the conference is directed toward edu cating upperclassmen to gain lead ership skills such as good commu nication skills, motivation and responsibility needed after gradua tion. “[The conference] will gather ju niors and seniors who are in lead ership positions on campus to get together and network and exchange different leadership perspectives,” he said. Jeremy Hawpe, director of dele gates for the conference, said the conference will emphasize the im portance of building relationships among students by introducing leaders from different organizations. Beneficial networks can be formed at the conference between leaders that work together during the fall. “This years conference, themed ‘Building Our Future,’ will focus on the tools used in leadership posi tions such as networking personal relationships between students throughout the campus,” he said. Fudge said that this year the con ference is centered around the Dom inance Influence Steadiness Con sciousness test (D.I.S.C.). The test will be used by the par ticipants to define their own per sonalities. Students will attend fo cus groups in order to gain information on how to work with other personalities in a professional setting. Fudge said. Anne Turner, chairperson for the conference, said the participants also get a chance to meet with fac ulty of Texas A&M University. The conference will include a question and answer session with Texas A&M President Dr. Ray M. Bowen and the Board of Regents. “A lot of people would not ordi narily have the opportunity to be in a room with Dr. Bowen and be able to ask questions,” Tlirner said. Jan Hargrave, an open session speaker for the conference, will give a presentation on the use of non verbal communications in business including a discussion on the inter pretation of body language. Fudge said former students will be available to provide insights into the business world and the need for leadership qualities to succeed. He said former students who partici pated in the conference while at tending A&M will discuss the ways leadership skills have been benefi cial to them. A&M’s first ‘Freshman Welcome Day* to help incoming students, parents adjust to campus FRESHMAN WELCOME DAY Wednesday, Au^. 2$ Turn ~ ?pm 'j Norths#*© at Hoysfcm at an Ross si oext to rtwinQ hatt. Sooth side votootoofs vwM t>« between YYetts a* Ep*»i9ht roskteno© hatte. M Ranaeaded untoadto© m ZOO© (right hand bike lanes) Jeff Smith/The Battalion BY JULIE ZUCKER The Battalion Texas A&M has designated to day as the first official “Freshman Welcome Day” where volunteers will help students and parents move into residence halls. Ron Sasse, director of resi dence life, worked with the Check-In Coordination Commit tee to designate a specific day for the freshmen to move in. “Fifty percent of the freshman class move into their dorms on the first day [of move-in],” Sasse said. “It is overwhelming, and there has to be a better way to move freshmen in without the hassle.” Volunteers for the program, in cluding individual students, staff members and campus organiza tions applied through campus mail and on the Internet. Sasse received 175 responses, but he would like more. “I didn’t know what to expect when it came to the number of volunteers, but we need three times as many,” he said. “I hope more people will come to the tents on Wednesday.” Volunteers will meet at desig nated tents near Northside and Southside residence halls today. The Northside tent will be locat ed on the corner of Houston Street and Ross Street, next to Sbisa Dining Hall. The Southside tent will be between Wells and Eppright residence halls. Help begins at 7 a.m. with vol unteers signed up for four-hour shifts throughout the day until 7 p.m. Volunteers will wear T-shirts with the logo “Got Help?” on the front. Volunteers also get the ben efit of parking without charge in the Northside or Southside park ing garages. Sasse said there is an equal amount of student and staff vol unteers. Taylor Haglund, president of the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) na tional service fraternity and a se nior management and marketing major, said th^ day will ease the transition for the freshmen. “I remember what it was like to move in, afad this is a good way to help out and meet the freshmen,” she said. Haglund said many of the stu dent volunteers are involved with APO. “[APO] knew of the idea through other schools but never got around to,starting it at A&M. Maybe we thought parking would be too terrible or the job was already taken,” Haglund said. "Still, it will help the fresh man meet new people early on.” Sasse said volunteers’ duties are to “meet, greet and help freshmen move into dorms.” He said volunteers will wait at the curbs for parents and stu dents, help unload the cars and take items into the dorms. Sasse said volunteers will also answer any questions the students or parents may have. He said the biggest issue for “Freshman Welcome Day” is parking. Sasse said Bizzell Street and Lubbock Street will be par tially barricaded and cars will fol low a designated route to keep the flow of traffic from backing up. The cars will enter the residence hall areas, unload, and end up in the parking garages, he said. Sasse said a new tradition is beginning at A&M, and if it catch es on, it will be bigger and better next year. “If this should work anyplace it’s Texas A&M,” he said.