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.