106 YEARS AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
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[day • August 30,1999
College Station, Texas
Volume 106 • Issue 1 • 26 Pages • 2 Sections
aggielife
C is for College
|ariety of sources
i available to
Ip students
Ike the
ide.
Page 3A
sports
le the Texas A&M Football
bview '99 insert.
Section B
opinion
Closet skeletons
Columnists battle
over whether or not
Gov. Bush should
answer question
about drug use.
Page 13A
new feature
le Battalion now has a daily
pssword puzzle.
Page 10A
All-University Night
marks new semester
\ 'V p—
7:15pm
gpgNR AU-U N«9ht
BY ERIKA DOERR
The Battalion
Tonight, All-University Night, a
biannual Texas A&M event, will
bring students together at Kyle
Field to kick off the beginning of a
new school year.
Jeff Bailey, head yell leader and
a senior agricultural systems major,
said the activities will start at 6:30
p.m. under the arches of the Corps
plaza with the All-U Walk.
“There’s a new addition to All-
U Night this year,” he said. “The
difference from last year is that
there will be an All-U Walk.”
The Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band,
Corps of Cadets and the yell lead
ers will meet at the Corps plaza and
leave heading down Lubbock
Street to gather the residents of the
Southside residence halls. The par-
ticipanfs will continue past the
Academic Building to the Fish
Pond to gather the residents of the
Northside halls at 6:40 p.m. Every
one will then be led to Kyle Field
where they will have the first yell
practice of the year.
“All-University Night
is intended to
introduce the
freshman [cjlass...
to Aggie traditions
with the help of the
yell leaders/'
— Dusty Batsell
Senior yell leader
Bailey said he wants to concen
trate on making students feel wel
come and involved in A&M’s tradi
tions. Bailey expects more than
8,000 people to participate in All U-
Night.
Dusty Batsell, a senior yell
leader and a construction science
major, said All-U Night is an event
where everyone can look forward
to having a good time and meeting
other Aggies.
“The entire University is wel
come to join with the yell leaders,
the Aggie Band and the Corps of
Cadets to kick-off the semester and
get to know student organization
leaders,” Batsell said.
Leah Naso, assistant hall direc
tor for Mosher residence hall, said
individual halls can bond by par
ticipating in tonight’s events.
“All-University Night is intend
ed to introduce the freshman Class
of 2003 to Aggie traditions with the
help of the yell leaders,” Naso said.
MARK MCPHERSON AND ROBERT HYNECEK/Tm: Battalion
All-University Night will consist of several activities that take place at
different areas of campus beginning at 6:30 p.m.
She said Bailey will lead the pro
gram, starting with a welcome, a
prayer and the national anthem.
Bailey said A&M President Dr.
Ray M. Bowen, Student Body Pres
ident Will Hurd, Dr. J. Malon
Southerland, vice president for stu
dent affairs and A&M fall athletics
will be introduced and participate
in the evening’s events at Kyle
Field.
“Starting at 7:15 p.m., the jum-
botron will come on showing high
light videos from each sport,” he
said.
Bailey said coaches and teams
will be recognized and given the
opportunity to talk to the student
body.
Daniel Pace a junior philosophy
major and a resident of Hart Hall,
said he has participated in All-U
Night for the past three years and
is looking forward to attending
tonight’s event.
“I’ve had a blast every year, and
I’ve met thousands of new people,”
he said. “I think the new All-U
Walk will be an asset in encourag
ing more students to participate.”
Activities are expected to con
clude around 8:15 p.m., and
Howdy Dance will follow at Hurri
cane Flarry’s, Batsell said.
inference
romotes
[ampus unity
BY BROOKE HODGES
The Battalion
The 47th Annual MSC Fall Leadership Confer-
te (FLC) held last Wednesday through Friday
Ulinidad,,Texas, provided 105 student leaders
jtt various campus organizations with valuable -
Jdership skills and the opportunity to build re-
Jonships used to unify campus.
IStudent Body President, Will Hurd, said the
liference was helpful in building connections
Ih other leaders.
IHe said the conference helped him better un-
ptand his own leadership abilities,
rlt taught me a little bit more about my own
portal style of leadership as well as how to com-
pnicate with others,” Hurd said.
Ilhe conference consisted of a presentation on
Iding nonverbal communications by Jan Har-
|ve and a question-and-answer session with
ps A&M President Dr. Ray M. Bowen, the Texas
Id Board of Regents and members of A&M ad-
aistration.
jHurd said meeting with these influential lead-
1 offered students an opportunity to interact
Ih the Board of Regents, Dr. Bowen and the oth-
ladministrators.
iBarry Hammond, delegate for the Student Gov-
hment Association and a sophomore business
bagement major, said the conference provided
p with a chance to see other areas of leadership
might be interested in.
rlt gave me an opportunity to look at other [or-
hizations],” Hammond said. “Pm going to get ap-
Ications at Open House and really see how I can
lead myself out and not just focus on one area. ”
I Hurd said he has attended the conference three
pes, and every time, he leaves the conference
Ith valuable information and a great visjon for
p upcoming year.
“1 am a veteran of FLC, and every year, you al-
pys walk away thinking positively of the year,”
said.
Campus Kick-Off Concert
GUY ROGERS/Thh Bajtalion
Peyton Lowrey (foreground) and Robb Marr (background) of Blue Earth performs Sunday at
The Grove. The band was the final act for the First Annual Campus Kick-Off Concert. The con
cert was sponsorfed by the Texas A&M Interfraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council and the
Department of Student Life.
Jury selection
in Jasper trial
to begin
STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
Tomorrow in' Bryan tho^
jury selection begins for the
trial of Jasper . resident,
Lawrence Russell Brewer, the
second of three accused in
the 1998 dragging death of
James A. Byrd Jr.
This trial follows the Feb
ruary 1999 conviction of
John William King, who now
sits on death row for Byrd’s
murder.
In June 1998, Byrd, a 49-
year-old disabled black man,
died after being chained to
the back of a pick-up truck
and dragged along a back
road in the East Texas town
of Jasper.
All three men charged
with Byrd’s murder, includ
ing Brewer, are accused of
killing Byrd in an attempt to
gain recognition for a white
supremacist group they were
planning to form. Brewer,
32, has entered a not guilty
plea.
Brewer’s defense attorneys
successfully argued for a
change of venue due to the
enormous publicity generat
ed in Jasper by King’s trial.
" ~ Ja'spdf ’CbuhTy " DtSfilct
Judge Monte Lawlis planned
for jury selection to start at
the beginning of the Texas
A&M fall semester when
A&M employees would be
available to ensure the largest
possible pool for jurors. Bra
zos County, with a popula
tion of 138,000, is four times
the size of Jasper.
Tomorrow’s jury selection
for the trial and is expected to
last two weeks.
Brazos County mailed 600
jury summons to prospective
jurors. Jury coordinator Gin
ger Lanehart said turnout
will probably be a few hun
dred less. Following the com
pletion of jury selection, pre
sentation of evidence will
begin.
Officers from the Bryan
Police Department, the Texas
Department of Public Safety,
the FBI and the U.S. Marshal
Service, along with 72 repre
sentatives from various me
dia organizations, will be in
attendance at tomorrow’s
proceedings.
The third defendant ac
cused of Byrd’s murder,
Shawn Allen Berry, is still
awaiting trial.
->u know
om/ocp
ew cadets
omplete
irogram
BY STUART HUTSON
The Battalion
1 The Corps of Cadets Freshman Orientation Week
jOW), a preparation for freshman members for life
i the Corps and the upcoming academic year, con
cluded Saturday.
I Deputy Corps commander, Mark Macicek, a senior
psiness major, said FOW serves as a part of the learn-
Pg process for freshmen cadets, who are not only
■tight how to operate in the Corps, but are also pre-
ared for the upcoming school year by doing such
Ungs as setting up e-mail accounts and buying books.
Macicek said this early cadet training is necessary
D once the school year begins, the cadets can focus
n academics instead of being distracted by learning
ow to dress and march properly.
“The transition from high school to college is a
uge step,” he said, “but the transition from high
diool to the Corps is a change of life.”
Rush draws fewer applicants
Guv Rogers/The Battalion
John Anderson, a senior biomedical science major,
gives drill instruction to new freshmen during Fresh
men Orientation Week Monday on the Quadrangle.
Col. Shady Groves, assistant commandant for op
erations and training, said one of the greatest achieve
ments of this year’s FOW was the cadet retention rate.
As of last Friday, 16 of the more than 600 freshmen
had dropped out. Normally during FOW, 25 to 30
freshmen are lost. Groves said.
Macicek said he attributes the low drop-out rate in
part to a new attempt by the Corps to change old poli
cies.
Groves said one such change is the revision of the
dining hall policy, which will allow cadets to eat in a
more casual manner without as many rules from now
on.
see Cadets on Page 2.
BY JULIE ZUCKER
The Battalion
During the annual sorority rush
week, held last week, the Panhel
lenic Council experienced a decline
of 150 applicants this year, as com
pared to last year for the event.
DaLynn Barker, Panhellenic
rush chair and a member of Alpha
Delta Pi sorority, said in past years
more women have chosen to rush
but were unsure if they would
pledge a sorority at the end of the
week. This year fewer women be
gan rush, but were more confident
in their decision to pledge.
“This year, there is a smaller
freshman class, but the women
were more definite about choosing
to pledge,” Barker, a senior public
relations major, said.
Taylor Young, a member of Kap
pa Alpha Theta sorority and a ju
nior recreation, parks and tourism
major, said she was not concerned
with the lower number of women
participating because the quality of
the participants had increased.
“Even though the numbers are
decreasing, Texas A&M still has
one of the largest groups of girls de
ciding to affiliate with the Greek
system,” Young said. “The num
bers don’t matter because the new
members this year uphold the
highest standards.”
Ten of the 12 houses participat
ed in formal rush last week. Alpha
Phi sorority will host a deferred
rush in September as will Kappa
Delta sorority, which is a new
sorority this year at A&M. Infor
mation sessions will be offered at
the MSC Open House next Sunday.
Rush began with a convocation
ceremony last Monday in Rudder
Auditorium. The women were in
troduced to the events of the up
coming week by speeches, songs
and skits performed by the Panhel
lenic Council executives and the
Rush Team, headed by Barker.
Barker said convocation helps
women to understand the events of
the week ahead and what it means
to be involved in the A&M Greek
system.
“We try to enforce the idea that
we are all Aggies first,” Barker said.
Robbie Gehbauer/Thl Battalion
Martha Tyroch (center), congratu
lates her daughter Melissa Tyroch
(right) and her daughter’s best
friend Laura Pringle after both re
ceive bids Saturday.
“And we don’t want to overshadow
the week after rush when school
begins. Convocation emphasizes
see Rush on Page 2.