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106 YEA
TEX A<S
IVERSITY
October 8, 1999
College Station, Texas
Volume 106 • Issue 30 • 14 Pages
:ial reporii
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roads imp
ighway 6 renamed
ass dedicated in memory of Earl Rudder
BY JEANETTE SIMPSON
K' The Battalion
alina said:|j|
Eagayan p'i'Tlle Texas State Highway 6 bypass of College
s north otitatiou was dedicated yesterday in honor of Maj.
off as (litBlames Earl Rudder, Class of ’32, and former
ched. piP ent °f Texas A&M.
?sidents Silvia, City of College Station council mem-
, Rjver in rBp°^ e to a tnowd of Rudder’s family, friends
were aiiB liem ^ ers t * ie Bryan-College Station com-
iuni; / as a portion of Highway 6 bypass was des-
the James Earl Rudder Memorial Highway.
Jam so proud to be here today to honor our
nit own hero with this dedication,” he said. “1
Jr that each time 1 drive by this sign I will think
Rudder and all that he brought to the area.”
^idder changed A&M from a small all-male mil-
college into a major research university. Dur-
ludder’s tenure as president of the University,
■ 1959 to 1970, his administration was respon-
| for doubling the school’s enrollment, initiat-
$100 million building program and gaining
versity status by offering graduate degrees.
Judder also played a major role in changing
Lp to a coed, non-regulation military school.
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rday to mi
ound afte:
sed from
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and Hoi
nces to
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In 1941, Rudder was working in Brady, as
a coach and teacher and when he was called
away to serve his country in World War II.
Rudder led the 2nd Ranger Battalion atop the
100-foot cliffs at Point du Hoc, Normandy on
D-Day. In 1944 Rudder and his 109th Infantry
Regiment were credited with defeating of the
last counter-offensive of the Germans at the
Battle of the Bulge.
Rudder received numerous awards .including
the Silver Star, the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf
Cluster, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge and the
Distinguished Service Cross.
Before serving as A&M president, Rudder was
Texas Land Commissioner from 1955 to 1958.
Margaret Rudder, Rudder’s widow, was in at
tendance of the dedication of the highway. She
was given a replica of the new sign posted on the
highway that is on both the north and south ends
of the bypass in College Station.
“I would like to express a word of thanks to the
city and City Council for naming this freeway af
ter my husband,” she said. “It is a great honor. Dif
ferent magazines can rate their places to live, but
for me the place to live is here. This is my family. ”
ANTONY DISALVO/The Battalion
Officials present Margaret Rudder with the new
sign denoting the new name for Highway 6, Earl
Rudder Freeway.
Northgate chosen
as site of new hall
BY BROOKE HODGES
The Battalion
A new private residence hall to
be named “Traditions at Northgate,”
is in its initial stages and is sched
uled to open in the fall 2001.
Private residence halls can ac
commodate those students wanting
the experience of residence hall life,
at an off-campus location.
Tom Kirkland, developer, of Tra
ditions at Northgate and Class of
’76, said the plans consist of twin
five-story towers with a suspended
walkway on the fifth floor.connect
ing the two towers. The building will
contain approximately 400 rooms.
“Most rooms will [have] two
bedrooms and a living room, with a
refrigerator and a microwave,” he
said. “Each room will have its own
bathroom, not suite style, where two
apartments share a bathroom.”
Tom Brymer, College Station city
manager, said the residence hall to
be built where the A&M Presbyter
ian Church now sits at the corner of
Church Avenue and Boyett Street.
Kirkland said A&M’s main rea
son for deciding to building the res
idence hall is because of its proxim
ity to campus.
“The location is fantastic — we
are fortunate to have found the
property,” he said. “The Presbyter
ian Church, which has been there
for 57 years, is merging with anoth
er church and building a new facili
ty.
Brymer said agreements and ne
gotiations regarding the residence
hall are still being made.
Kirkland said he expects con
struction to begin this January, and
he anticipates the hall to open in fall
2001. He said the residence hall will
be privately funded.
snce
jmic acooec
region*^ a*
ear-related
lants.
It women’s
ell-being
BY MATT LOFTIS
The Battalion
niura plM
; on procednj
)\l\& WACOM
i visit wit!
uthofs^
govern®'
■ Kristie Ross, a senior geog
raphy major, is conducting re
search on the effects of
■omen’s physical environ-
|ents, exercise and eating
i ^ tpbits, stress, religious beliefs
''f iller socialization (actors
' ■ ! " 1 1 1 that impact their bodies.
Ross hosted a meeting to col-
Vdrfa to facilitate her research
'ednesday night. Women were
vited to attend and fill out ques-
nnaires Ross put together to as
|)asis for her studies.
“Through ' answering these
W jestions, I hope to find out how
■ferent factors impact physical
fcl-being,” Ross said. “I believe
B studying these things you can
Bin a better understanding of
|ur body. ”
The study will focus on what
a be done to take better care of
a woman’s body by promoting
Iwareness of the issue and devel
oping healthy relationships.
I She will conduct her research
Using the Geographic Information
System (GIS).
Ea» Ross saicl ^ GIS generally is
|sed in civil engineering or mar-
studr Jeting to analyze the effects of
items
;hool
(24 m.
awan
i privaS
advatf
leographic location on business
iecisions. Ross intends to be the
|rst to use this resource for hu
manities research.
Her study will investigate the
uwjBffects of global positioning, the
Ain# Jocations of the earth, moon and
Jtars, and environmental stimu-
■ pilot^ us on women’s emotional and
hysical well-being.
■ FM
appro.
sctiool
see Women on Page 2.
jlNAL—-
drum
I 70°
.19
5*4
INSIDE
Aggielife
^•Gleaming the Cube
The Grove will be the
[site of “Progress
^through Music,” a
^skateboarding and
tusic test.
Page 3
Sports
•Aggies try to regroup
against Bears
Weekend game gives team an
opportunity to play with heart.
Page 9
Opinion
•Stuffing ballot
boxes
India’s voter
participation
should
influence
Americans.
Page" 13
Batt Radio
Listen to KAMU-FM 90.9 at
1:57 p.m. for details on plans
fora new hockey rink.
‘Dean for a Day*
winner selected
BY STASIA RAINES
The Battalion
Chris Townsend, an associate professor for the Department of
Agricultural Education, will take on the role of dean for the Col
lege of Education one day next week.
Jane Conoley, Dean of the College of Education, will take over
Townsend’s teaching duties in turn for Townsend’s winning the
“Dean for a Day” contest.
Carol Wagner, senior academic adviser for the Department of
Educational Psychology and chair for the program said the idea
of this contest came from the staff advisory council.
“The purpose of this contest is to secure the scholarship en
dowment for the Peggy Ritchey scholarship, named after a long
time employee of the College of Education,” she said. “This schol
arship was created for the children and grandchildren of
employees of this college.”
Conoley said she is eager to support the staff in the work they
have done to secure this endowment.
“I am very delighted to help out the staff in raising money for
the scholarship,” Conoley said.
“It is very close to being at the endowed level due to the hard
work of the staff — they are willing to pitch in and work.”
Tickets for the contest were sold to faculty, staff and students
during the month of September. Hundreds of students and facul
ty bought tickets in hopes to get a chance to be a dean.
But Townsend was not among the buyers. Townsend said she
was pleasantly surprised when she won the contest, considering
she never even entered herself.
“Some unknown person entered me in the contest, so it was
really a shock when I received a call saying 1 was going to be dean
of the College of Education for a day,” she said.
“1 think it will be great to actually go through a day like Dean
Conoley would, going to meetings and answering questions. Dr.
Conoley is excited and so am I.”
This is the third annual Dean of a Day contest. Over the past
two years, Conoley has experienced many different sides of Aggie
life.
“The first year’s winner was a student, and the dean did her
homework, went to class and went to the library.” Wagner said.
This year Conoley is particularly excited about the switch be
cause she has the opportunity to teach in the area of agricultural
Education.
“I love to teach, but I never get the chance,” she said. “I am re
ally excited about the chance to interact with the students in a
classroom setting. It will be really fun thing.”
Pomp and circumstance
CHAD ADAMS/Thh Baitai.ion
Janis P. Stout, dean of faculties and associate provost, leads a procession of faculty to Rudder Theatre for
the Academic Convocation yesterday.
Museum of Natural History to host
open house; A&M faculty to help out
BY BRADY CREEL
The Battalion
Texas A&M faculty members will be teaming with
the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History this
weekend to offer a scientific view of the lives of pre
historic ancestors at the museum’s open house.
Dr. David L. Carlson, head of the A&M Department
of Anthropology, said there will be a variety of exhibits
and activities taking place at the museum. A&M fac
ulty will be on hand to answer questions.
Carlson said one feature of the open house will be
an Ice Age exhibit consisting of skeletons of prehis
toric mammals and artifacts of the people who hunt
ed them.
“It will include examples of prehistoric animals, ar
tifacts and artwork,” he said.
Carlson said a flint knapper will also be on hand to
give demonstrations on how stone tools were made.
The flint knapper also will help identify stone tools
and artifacts brought in by visitors of the museum.
There also will be a demonstration in hide-working.
Carlson said students in anthropology, biology and
geosciences will particularly benefit from the exhibit
since it deals with global climate change, extinct ani
mal species and prehistory.
“But any student who is interested in where we
came from as a species and what kinds of challenges
our ancestors faced will benefit from visiting the ex
hibit,” he said.
Another exhibit to be shown at the museum is
ROBERT HYNECEK/The Battalion
“Texas Cowboys,” a photographic exhibit presented
by the American Quarter Horse Association.
“It is a series of dramatic, color photographs of
Texas cowboys at work,” Carlson said.
Tom Lynch, curator of the Brazos Valley Museum
of Natural History, said the museum will offer free ad
mission Sunday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. as part
of the open house.
“We are very happy to be able to let people in for
free, thanks to the Texas Historical Commission and
Brazos Historical Commission,” he said, “There will
be great stuff for families.”
Carlson said the open house has been geared towards
children in the past, but thinks this year will appeal
see Museum on Page 2.
News in Brief
CEO to lecture on
communications
John Atterbury, president and
CEO of SBC Broadband Services,
will discuss his experiences in the
international telecommunications
field today at 2 p .m. in the World
Room of the Presidential Confer
ence Center.
Atterbury’s lecture, “The Inter
national Road to Success," is
sponsored by the MSC L.T. Jordan
Institute for International Aware
ness and the Office for Latin Amer
ican Programs.
Foundation awards
wildlife department
The Women’s Sportfishing
Foundation has awarded $2,500
to Texas A&M’s Department of
Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences to
help provide scholastic scholar
ships for wildlife and fisheries stu
dents at the junior, senior and
graduate levels.
This year’s All-Girl Redfish
Rodeo, a 104-woman bayfishing
tournament, raised $13,000
through live and silent auctions.
The organization donated $7,500
in scholarships and other pro
gram funds.
Professor founds
collection of birds
Sammy Ray, director of com
munity and youth programs at
Texas A&M-Galveston, has creat
ed a collection of more than 100
mounted birds.
The avian display is being
moved from the Mississippi
Delta Community College to the
state natural science museum in
Jackson, Miss.
The birds were mounted as a
Works Project Administration job
in the 1930s. He later mounted
birds from the South Pacific where
he served as a Marine Corps hos
pital medic.
Geology open house
scheduled Saturday
Texas A&M University’s De
partment of Geology and Geo
physics will give visitors free rock-
core samples, a look at how
earth scientists use computers
and a better understanding of
their home planet during an open
house next Saturday.
The department’s open house,
from 9 a.m. to noon at the Halbouty
Geosciences Building, is in con
junction with National Earth Sck
ence Week.