RSITY
Volume 106 • Issue 21*10 Pages
106 YEARS AT
■nday • September 27, 1999
ormer members
f Corps gather
BY STUART HUTSON
The Battalion
[Harless R. Benthul, former member of
Corps of Cadets and Class of ’57,
;red down at a brick bearing the name
of|a departed friend in front of the Sam
uston Corps of Cadets Center, remem-
^•ing the days they spent together at a
ce he will forever carry in his heart.
Benthul is one of many former cadets
o returned to campus this weekend
Jrelive their college days during the
|rd annual Corps reunion.
Benthul said the brick bearing his
fribnd’s name was surrounded by bricks
en ;raved with the names of other cadets
*>m the Class of ’57.
■ “We all got together during the last re
union and decided to get these bricks,”
^nthul said. “Maybe just to be as much
S a permanent part of A&M as A&M is
permanent part of us.”
John Richard, former Corps member
ami Class of ’74, said he has met Aggies
everywhere he has traveled, teaching
im a valuable lesson.
“A&M becomes a part of you, and you
become a part of it,” he said. “No mat
ter where you are or how long you have
been gone, that is something no one can
ever take away from you.”
Jim Payne, a former Corps member of
Cadets and Class of ’67, said although he
has been gone from the University for 30
years, the qualities which turn students
into Aggies are still alive in the Corps.
“Being a member of the Corps is still
and always will be a worthwhile en
deavor because of the sense of discipline
and camaraderie it instills,” he said.
“Even though some things may seem to
have changed, they haven’t changed.”
Christy Hall, a member of the Corps
and a senior psychology major, said the
reunion is a valuable learning experience
for returning cadets and current cadets.
“They give us a taste of our history
and give us something to aspire to,” Hall
said. “It gives them the opportunity to
see that they have left something behind
that will be remembered through a
bright future for the Corps of Cadets.”
College Station, Texas
ANTHONY DISALVO/The Battalion
Col. Shady Groves takes members of board
of regents for Kyonggi University in Korea on
a tour of the Sanders Corps of Cadets Cen
ter during the third annual Corps of Cadets
Reunion Saturday afternoon. The visit
was part of an agreement the Universi
ties signed in 1996.
She said she could see how much the
reunion meant in the eyes of returning
cadets and felt honored to have had an
opportunity to learn how they see the
University.
Benthul said he can see beyond the
new faculty and equipment, the ex
panded campus and huge increase in en
rollment to look back on a side of Texas
A&M he will always consider home.
“I can appreciate the school for what
it is now, with its improved academics,”
Benthul said, “but I will always enjoy re
turning to A&M for the place that I re
member. ”
IBilliards pro
to show skills
ovw?.';
at exhibition
BY ERIKA DOERR
The Battalion
International pool shark and
thck shot artist Jack White will
demonstrate his skills and answer
ivestloos rtbqut the fundamentals
fpoo/ today in the MSC Flagroom
pni 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
r
ROBERT HYNECEK/Tiii: Battalion
Nathan Cray, vice president for
SC Programs and a senior me-
lanical engineering major, said
[hite’s exhibition will be from 11
m. to 1 p.m. White’s free clinic
nil be from 2 to 4 p.m. in the base-
ent of the MSC.
“Jack White is an entertaining
pd hilarious professional pool
ayer,” he said. “He has some
eat tricks to demonstrate and has
[great sense of humor.”
I White said showing his talents
as been his lifelong occupation.
Cray said the clinic offers stu-
ents an opportunity to learn basic
leories of the game and to meet
le player and artist.
see Billiard on Page 2.
Kappa Alpha returns
after 3-year suspension
BY ROLANDO GARCIA
The Battalion
After a three-year hiatus, the Kappa Al
pha Order officially marked its return to
Texas A&M last night with an induction cer
emony where 42 hew pledges were wel
comed into the fraternity.
Kappa Alpha was suspended in the fall of
1996 after a student pledging the fraternity
was seriously injured in a hazing incident.
Ann Goodman, associate director for the
Department of Student Life, said a fraterni
ty member walked up behind a new pledge
and forcefully pulled his pants up, giving
him a “wedgie.”
The student suffered a twisted testicle
that had to be surgically removed.
Goodman said the accident, which oc
curred at a new-pledge rally, spurred an in
vestigation into Kappa Alpha which uncov
ered hazing activities such as forced alcohol
consumption, forced exercise and physical
assault.
Thirty-two Kappa Alpha members were
disciplined by the University for hazing, and
the national office of Kappa Alpha followed
suit, expelling four members. All other
members of the chapter were granted im
mediate alumni status, and the A&M chap
ter was shut down.
Scott Blackwell, Greek Life adviser, said
although the fraternity has served its three-
year suspension, certain expectations must
still be met before the order is granted a per
manent charter.
In addition to following all University
rules and guidelines governing fraternities,
the chapter must fulfill community-service
requirements and host educational pro
grams for students on such topics as the re
sponsible use of alcohol.
Kappa Alpha members also must main
tain a collective grade-point ratio above the
overall fraternity average at A&M.
The order is required to have alumnus
advisers at every new-member event and is
allowed only eight weeks for membership
education, as a precaution.
“We wanted to limit the time between
pledging and initiation so there would be
less opportunities for hazing to occur,”
Blackwell said.
Larry Hodges, Class of ’88 and a former
Kappa Alpha Order president, is the chap
ter’s alumnus adviser and is coordinating the
“recolonization” project.
He said getting the order’s charter and
reputation back will not be easy, but the
group is focusing on the positive and is de
termined to reflect the highest ideals of fra
ternity life.
“We’ve gotten rid of everything from the old
fraternity and started from scratch,” he said.
“We recruited mature, responsible stu
dents— men with high standards and good
character.”
Hodges said unlike other fraternities.
Kappa Alpha recruited new members-
through ads in The Battalion, and included
informational meetings with the chapter’s
alumnus committee instead of having par
ties with alcohol during rush activities.
Founded in Virginia in 1865, the order is
dedicated to the ideal of the antebellum
Southern gentleman, Hodges said.
“KA was founded on the principles of
chivalry, gentility, reverence for God and re
spect for women, basically—what we be
lieve here at A&M,” he said.
Aggiefife
ent
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• Quiet on
the set
.oca I
ommercials
jsin®reate grins and
groans. Page 3
Sports
Aggies sweep weekend games
Soccer team pulls wins over the
Longhorns and Texas Christian.
Page 10
Opinion
Running from
responsibility
Students
dodge
repaying loans
after graduation.
Page 9
Batt Radio
I Listen to KAMU-FM 90.9 FM at
1:57 p.m. for more on the Ag-
I gie’s win over the Golden Eagles.
A&M honors businesses
BY JULIE ZUCKER
The Battalion
Texas A&M honored five Bryan-College Sta
tion establishments Saturday for upholding the
Aggie name as approved by the University.
Fat Burger, Gina’s Restaurante Mexicano,
Red Bandana, Tom’s Barbecue and Aggie
Cleaners received certificates of apprecia
tion for including “Aggie” on the menu or
in the name.
Toby Boenig, manager of collegiate licens
ing, said other schools do not get this kind of
support from local businesses.
“This [ceremony] is just a way we can tell
the businesses how much we appreciate
them,” he said.
Mark Horn, director of operations at Tom’s
Barbecue, said Tom’s Barbecue has been
around for 25 years and they will continue to
uphold the great reputation of the University.
Fariborz Estakhri, owner of Fat Burger, said
the “Aggie Burger” is the most popular menu.
Bill Krumm, vice president of finance for A&M,
said the honor is about more than licensing.
“The honorees display the right image for
the University, and what we strive to be for Vi
sion 2020,” Krumm said.
Boenig said businesses are welcome to use
“Aggie” in their promotions, but University
guidelines must be followed.
According to the Office of University Rela j
ANTHONY DISALVO/The Battalion
Bill Krumm, vice president for finance for
A&M, hands Mark Horn, Director of opera
tions of Tom’s Barbecue, a certificate of ap
preciation Saturday afternoon.
tions, “Aggie” is a trademark of A&M, but the
establishments honored Saturday signed an
agreement authorizing to use the name at no
charge.
In 1981, A&M filed “Aggie” as a trademark
with the Texas Secretary of State. A&M holds
32 other trademarks including “Texas A&M,”
“Gig ‘em Aggies,” the ATM block and the Ag
gie ring crest.
Boenig said the certificates are something
he wants the business to feel proud to display.
“It will show the community that these
businesses are committed to Texas A&M, its
employees and students,” he said.
Lecturer to speak on
Presidential press office
BY MATT LOFTIS
The Battalion
Former White House Press Secretary
Marlin Fitzwater will lecture at the George
Bush Presidential Library Complex exhib
it “Call the Briefing!: The White House
Press Office.”
The first lecture, from 12:45 to 1:30 p.m.
at the Bush Complex, will give an inside
look at the Presidential press office and the
role of the press in society. The lecture is
open to students and faculty of the journal
ism department and any others interested.
Barbara Gastel, interim head of the
Journalism Department, said the some
journalism classes will attend the lecture
as a group.
“Our students are very fortunate to have
this opportunity,” Gastel said. “We appre
ciate this chance to hear firsthand some
perspectives of a former presidential press
secretary.”
Fitzwater will attend a reception
tonight, followed by an invitation-only lec
ture from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. He will also
meet the public in the museum today and
tomorrow from 10 to 10:30 p.m. Guests will
be admitted to the meetings with purchase
of normal museum admission.
Dave Olsobrook, Bush Library director,
said the museum was glad to have Fitzwa
ter return to A&M. Fitzwater has visited
the University several times in the past for
such events as the dedication of the George
Bush Presidential Library and the annual
library advisory council meeting.
“All of us associated with the Bush Li
brary Museum are eager to see Marlin
Fitzwater again,” he said. “We welcome
him back because he always has some in
teresting comments when speaks.”
Fitzwater worked in the press office un
der former presidents Ronald Reagan and
George Bush. Prior to his work at the
White House, Fitzwater was a speech
writer for the Department of Transporta
tion and a press officer for the Environ
mental Protection Agency.
The library’s exhibit was assembled at
A&M and contains memorabilia from
Fitzwater’s term as press secretary and the
office of press secretary in general. The ex
hibit will travel to Franklin Pierce College,
which is naming its school of journalism
after Fitzwater, before returning to A&M.
Mini-PMC
BRADLEY ATCHISON/Thk Battalion
Danny Salinas (center), age 7 from Laredo, takes advantage of senior privileges
Saturday after a win over Southern Mississippi, and helps out John Boles (left),
a senior agricultural development major, and Marcus Edwards (right) senior con
struction science major.
Nicklaus to design golf course
BY ERIKA DOERR
The Battalion
A new signature golf course, designed by
Hall of Fame golfer. Jack Nicklaus, will be
the future home of the Texas A&M Men’s
and Women’s Golf teams.
Tom Coyle, director of development ser
vices, said the $1 million golf course will
benefit A&M students and the golf teams
and should be completed by Spring of 2001.
“Students and [A&M golf] team members
will receive many benefits from this signa
ture golf course, such as the high-techno
logical teaching instruments, videos and
covered driving ranges,” he said.
Coyle said the development of the course
and surrounding areas will cover 800 acres
with a perimeter of University Drive to the
south, Harvey Mitchell Drive to the east,
47th Street to the west and Villa Maria Dri
ve to the north.
“This course will take about 14 months
to build,” he said. “Designers are beginning
with [the] reconnaissance work of forming
the holes, the green and the routing plan.”
Coyle said a contract between The Club
Corporation of America and the Texas A&M
Athletic Department is close to being signed.
“The routing plan will be finalized be
tween now and Christmas,” he said. “The
land-use plan will include a 180-room hotel
and 50 to 75 villas. Golf course parking lots
and residential development [also] are part
of this plan.”
Joe Brown, public information officer for
the city of Bryan, said the course will en
courage business in the area to grow.
“This is the future home of the Texas
A&M Men’s and Women’s Golf Teams,” he
said. “The course and the residential devel
opment is a tremendous effort to encourage
businesses to come back into the Bryan-Col-
lege Station area.”
see Golf on Page 2.