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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 7, 1999)
TAMLJ 106 YEARS AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY uesday • September 7, 1999 College Station, Texas Volume 106 • Issue 7 • 20 Pages 8 potential jurors till sought for trial STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS |ury selection for the capital murder trial of av\ rence Russell Brewer will continue today, as 28 ore potential jurors are needed to meet the 50-per- n quota. Six Bryan residents were selected for the potential try pool last Friday; 28 more are needed to reach the tandard amount of 50 potential jurors. The potential jrors are being chosen from the original jury list of 900 immoned last week. After the 50 are selected, the [umber will be narrowed to 14, which includes 12 ju- )rs and two alternates. ^mong the six selected Friday was an African- Unerican woman, the first minority juror for this case, "he current potential jury pool consists of 12 men and [0 women, including 19 Anglo-Americans, two His- |anic Americans and one African-American. Of the friginal jury list, 106 Brazos County residents includ- ig 12 African Americans, wait to be called to the po- ?ntial jury pool. Final jury selection is expected to conclude this Friday. According to The Bryan-College Station Eagle dur ing jury selection last Friday the Brazos County Sher iff deputies ordered the defendant’s brother, John Brewer, not to speak to the defendant in the court room. Brewer’s brother was eventually banned from the courtroom, for the day, after he ignored the request and yelled, “I love you, Russell” while the defendant was being led to his holding cell. Lawrence Russell Brewer reportedly remained docile during jury the selection process and dozed off a few times. A Texas A&M professor was among the potential ju rors dismissed on Friday. The professor, juror No. 31, was dismissed because his ex-wife is from Jasper. Of ficials felt he was unsuitable to serve on the jury be cause he had followed the trial extensively. Jasper County District Judge Monte Lawlis said he hopes to start testimony Sept. 15. Lawrence Russell Brewer is the first of the two re maining men accused in the dragging death of 49- year-old African American, James A. Byrd, Jr. Shawn Allen Berry, the last of the three accused awaits his October trial in Jasper. John William King of Jasper now awaits the death penalty following his convic tion in February 1999. Cornyn strikes Hopwood STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS Texas Attorney General John Cornyn retracted the Hopwood decision, which prompted state universities to stop identifying students by race for admissions, financial aid and scholarships. The Hopwood case was named after one of the plaintiffs in a law suit filed by four white applicants against the University of Texas law school’s affirmative-action admissions policy. The appeals court ruled that the policy dis criminated against white appli cants, and the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the ruling to stand. Dan Morales, former attorney general, interpreted the 1996 rul ing by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which abolished the University of Texas School of Laws’ affirmative action admis sions policies, to also concern scholarships and financial aid. After the ruling, most state universities in Texas, including Texas A&M, University of Texas at Austin and Texas Tech University, stopped using affirmative action based scholarships and financial aid the practice of which many blamed for a significant drop in minority enrollment. Cornyn said the U.S. Supreme Court is the governing body that can resolve these sensitive issues and Morales’ legal opinion should not be considered the fi nal decision. ‘‘Absent [of] clear guidance from the high court, we think it [ill-advised] to reach broad con clusions on what may or may not be permitted under Hopwood on matters other than admissions,” Cornyn said. He said universities should not change their policies regarding the use of race for admissions, fi nancial aid or scholarships until a final court decision has been made. The University of Texas Board of Regents has asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to re consider the decision to ban af firmative action policies at state universities. “We deeply appreciate the at torney general’s efforts on behalf of the University of Texas and of all Texas higher education,” Sys tem Chancellor William Cun ningham from UT-Austin said. Frank Newton, dean of the Texas Tech University law school, said Cornyn’s letter might leave schools unclear as to how to han dle the situation. “Since February 1997, school policies on financial matters were that you couldn’t use race,” Newton said. “Does he mean we can go back to time when we could? Or does he mean we should stand pat and wait for the court opinion? To be honest with you, I can’t tell which it is. “1 hope the interpretation is that we may use race to enhance diversity and to award scholar ships. The wording still leaves some doubt in my mind,” New ton said. He said because the fall se mester has already begun, school officials have time to discuss the matter with in-house attorneys. Academic endevour CODY WAGES/Thr Battalion Aon Phatthanakijruang, a former student of Texas A&M, spends her Labor Day holiday sketching the Academic Building. Phatthanakijruang said she would later oil paint the sketch. A&M appoints woman to post, makes history BY CHRIS MENCZER The Battalion A small piece of Texas A&M history was made this week as Ellyn Perrone was appointed to the newly created office of vice president for gov ernmental affairs, mak ing her the first woman in the history of A&M to serve at the vice-presi dential level oaa perma nent basis. After earning her master’s degree in public administration from A&M in 1986 Perrone joined the Texas A&M University System as special assistant to the vice chancellor for state affairs in January 1987. She moved to the president’s office in February 1990 and has worked for the past nine years as A&M’s director of external re lations, which was A&M’s top govern mental representative prior to the creation of the new vice presidential office. A&M President Dr. Ray M. Bowen said while two other women have been named as interim vice presidents, Perrone’s long experience as the school’s primary govern mental liaison, prompted her promotion. “A&M is fortunate to have a person of her experience and skills representing its interests in Austin, as well as Washington D.C.,” Bowen said. “[She is] both pro-active and responsive in explaining the University’s programs and needs to lawmakers and other policy making officials.” While her primary function as A&M’s top governmental liaison will not change, Perrone said that as a vice president she will have increased policy making powers and authority over certain special projects, such as the A&M government internship program in Washington D.C. “It is a tremendous honor to represent and serve this great University,” she said. “[I will] try to represent A&M better at the state and federal level and increase our re source base.” Perrone is a Bryan native and is active in civic organizations. She is on the board of directors of Scott & White Clinic and has previously served on the board of directors for Texas Lyceum, a statewide youth lead ership program. Association of Former Students revamps advertising campaign INSIDE 1 lubs E REGIST& 27-30 Sept' 27-30 Sept Sports events j available m ^ .j nn call Angela-, aggielife *No Means No f'Jew semester neans new rey for campus iolicitors. faei'ity, equipjj L 202, in the K ting, Sunday, sports *A&M Soccer Team defeats Utah Vomen continue streak with !-l win. Page 15 opinion •Natural Disasters lolumnists explore both sides fthe issue of forced evacuations /hen citizens’ lives are at risk. Page 19 Silver Taps br a complete list of names of itudents to be honored at onight’s event turn to Page 8. ess and opera 1 ' [uter systems. University Plus drops fees BY JEANETTE SIMPSON The Battalion MSC University Plus/Craft Shop is now offering students free use of the extensive facilities including a newly renovated dark room, a framing and matting shop, and a woodworking shop near Hullabaloo in the MSC basement. Cher McHan, manager of the University Plus/Craft Shop, said the decision to drop the membership fee came from the empha sis the University places on encouraging college students to pursue interests in areas other than academics. “All students need to break up their aca demic life with creative, fun activities,” McHan said. She said the goal of the University Plus/Craft Shop is to provide a place where students can relax, and learn hobbies and skills that will stay with them throughout their lives. Kris Ross, a student worker in the Uni versity Plus/Craft Shop and a junior geog raphy major, said the facilities’ resources are a crucial part of skills students gain from college. “We have so many classes that are ap plicable to the outside world,” she said. “It is not your degree that makes you, it is you that makes you.” Ross, who is in charge of photography w • Renovated Dark Room • Framing And Matting Shop • Woodworkibg Shop • Pottery F ac: i l i t i es REGISTRATION FEE REQUIRED • Pottery • Drawing/Painting • Stained Glass • Dint ng/Ftiquette Ski IIs • Resume/Interview Ski Its MARK MCPHERSON/Thk Battalion for the shop, said she is eager to help any one who wishes to learn more about vari ous type of photography or how to print their own photographs. Information is available in the form of see Plus on Page 2. BY RACHEL HOLLAND The Battalion The Association of For mer Students is developing new programs to increase involvement among recent Texas A&M graduates and current students, as part of its new branding campaign. The association’s pur pose is to extend financial and other aid to students of A&M and promote the inter ests and welfare of A&M and education in Texas. The association sponsors Aggie Hostel, a summer re treat for former students over age 65, and contributes money to local A&M Clubs, including the Dallas and Houston A&M Clubs, and the University. Amy Glass, brand man ager for the association and Class of ’92, said developing the campaign is necessary because the association’s membership has not in creased at the same rate as the number of A&M gradu ates. She said even though more than half of all A&M graduates graduated after 1982, most of the associa tion’s support comes from students who graduated be fore 1970. Glass said despite the dif ferences in demographics, former students in all mar ket segments want to be a part of an Aggie network. As a result, the association chose the Aggie ring as the symbol for its new branding campaign, “We Are the Ag gie Network.” “We haven't done a good job of telling them [alumni] where their money is gping.” — Amy Glass Brand manager The target market was split into different demo graphic groups according to the generation in which they graduated or will at tend A&M. She said communica tions with former students had been geared toward a market segment comprised of graduates known as “Loy alists,” who graduated be fore 1970. Glass said the Loyalists are driven to con tribute by their desire to give back to the University. Glass said another mar keting segment is comprised of graduates known as “Boomers,” who graduated between 1970 and 1985 and are similar to the Loyalists in their desire to contribute fi- naqcially. She said the new cam paign is different because it includes market segments comprised of recent gradu ates and current students, known as the “Individual ists” and the “Futurists,” re spectively. In the past, most marketing and communica tions were geared toward the Loyalists and after real izing most graduates and current students do not un derstand the purpose the as sociation serves at A&M, the marketing scheme \yas changed to target more peo ple. Individualists are gradu ates that may not have the family ties of previous gener ations to the University” and chose A&M because of the academic possibilities it of fers. Futurists are current stu dents, high school recruits, children of Aggies and other potential future former stu dents. 'She said the graduates in these marketing segments respond to graphics and con versational writing. She said they want the benefits asso ciated to be outlined for them. Glass said part of the cam paign involves outlining for see Former on Page 2.