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IERT HYNECEK & GUY ROGERS/1 m Hoi w ion
BY JULIE ZUCKER
The Battalion
“It feels good to be finished. It has
been a long, hard struggle. I am proud
to be the first one, but it is rather sad
that it took 20 years for one black
x
woman to graduate with an MBA,” said Melva Robinson Pratt
to The Battalion in 1983 after she became the first African-
American woman to graduate from Texas A&M University
with an MBA.
It u'as the focus of A&M in the ’80s to have more gradu
ates like Pratt.
According to University archives, A&M started a task force
in the early '80s to attract more African-American students and
“alleviate minority discrimination in higher education.”
The Lowry Mays College of Business recruited African-
American high school students with a three-day seminar for
which 137 applicants and 50 students were accepted.
In September of 1983, Kevin R. Carreathers became
A&M’s first minority adviser, and implemented an “I Care”
program on campus.
“Minorities make up less than one percent of total enroll
ment at A&M,” Carreathers said in 1983. "1 think they would
enjoy their college experience a little more if I can help main
stream them onto campus.”
More African-American organizations were accepted on
campus in the ’80s, such as the African Student Association,
started by Jacob Teboh, who came to Texas from Cameroon,
Africa in 1983, and two service sororities. Delta Sigma Theta
and Alpha Kappa Alpha.
The efforts seemed to quickly affect the veterinarian and
medical schools. In August of 1983, four out of 48 students
were African-American in the vet school which boasted none
the year before.
In 1984, scholarships specifically for African-Americans
and women began to be sponsored at A&M. Over $4 million
was distributed to attract at least 525 African-American un
dergraduates, $1.65 million for 34 African-American graduate
students and $700,000 in salary supplements for African-
American faculty members.
In 1986, A&M had the best retention rate in the state for
African-American students. Alter being enrolled for the 1983-
1984 school year, 81.5 percent of the African-American un
dergraduates at A&M returned for the fall semester of 1984.
See History on Page 2.
Car accidents
ikOK, Thailand
cut officials argue:’
arc bed and a dentes
ie at the chief oft®
Monetary Fund fiV'
uring a trade simwivj
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ctirement Monday
id economic globafe
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re being left behind as
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nd the have-nots,
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ability to grow, and
rade barriers keeping
it of some markets atf|
rly.
)f IMF bailout
STUART VILLANUEVA/1 Ml BaITAUON
Ninety-three-year-old Donald Foster of Bryan was killed Monday morning when he drove southbound in the northbound lane of Earl
Rudder Freeway and collided with a Plymouth Voyager. Foster at the scene and the driver of the Voyager, Catherine Lester of College
Statibn, was taken to St. Joseph Regional FHealth Center where she remains in critical condition.
A second collision occurred less than one hour later and IOC yards away when a pickup driven by Jane Wilcox of North Zulch rear-end
ed another pickup. Wilcox died at the scene and the other driver, who was unharmed, was given a ticket for making an unsafe lane
change. It is suspected that a traffic build-up round the previous accident contributed.
NOW holds
mock wedding
enate opposes grade distribution
BRANDIE LIFFICK
The Battalion
I Texas A&M professors’ grade distributions may no longer be available ifthe Fac-
ilf\ Senate has its way.
I The Faculty Senate passed a resolution 30 to 17 to bring an end to the practice of
Impiling grade distributions.
J The grade distributions include course and section numbers, professors’ names
Id the average Grade Point Ratio (GPR) for each course. While grade distributions
fere initially made available so advisers could use them when advising students on
tries during the receii® ur ' se selections, the Faculty Senate argues that students often use them to compare
is claim the ftuKl'i ^ ct jP^ 0 f' 0ne P r °f e ssor’s class to another,
gh interest rates lor*
ibility deepened reces 1
reavy job losses.
Board works on
better relations
“These lists are appearing to be misused by students in their considering for course
registration,” said Dr. Ken E. Harding, speaker for the academic affairs committee
and chemistry professor.
Before making the recommendation to the Faculty Senate, the academic affairs
committee met w ith the Student Senate to hear their proposed ideas for the grade dis
tributions.
“Our proposal was for a comprehensive Website with professor information in
cluding a course syllabus for their classes, awards and achievements and, above all, the
GPA of the classes,” said Brent Spencer, senior microbiology major and academic af
fairs chairman of Student Senate. “Now that this resolution bad been passed for the list
to no longer be assembled, the student body will no longer have access to this resource.”
See Faculty Senate on Page 2.
BY BROOKE HODGES
The Battalion
“Dearly Beloved, we are gathered
here today to celebrate love in its many
forms. It is wonderful to see so many
happy couples celebrating their love
for each other, but there are other cou
ples who are unable to fully express
their affections because of society’s
fears of seeing love in a less-tradition
al form.”
These were the words with which
Rev. Jason Bennett began the mock wed
dings of gay and lesbian couples in front
of Rudder Fountain Monday.
The Texas A&M University branch
of the National Organization for
Women sponsored the mock weddings
where Jason Patton, a sophomore bio
medical science major, and J.FT
Langston, a junior computer science
major, joined hands in pretend matri
mony along with Natalie R. Wilson, a
sophomore zoology major, and Amy
Hinze, a junior political science major.
The ceremony was held in honor of
National Freedom to Marry Day to cre
ate awareness that members of the gay
and lesbian community are denied the le
gal right to marry said Bennett, a rev
erend of the Universal Light Church and
a freshman engineering major.
Bennett said the ceremony, which at
tracted a large crowd of onlookers, had
less interruptions than anticipated
“Overall, [the ceremony] went about
as expected, it got a.few cat calls,” Ben
nett said. “[But] the crowd seemed more
accepting of the lesbian marriage instead
of the gay ceremony.”
Some bystanders had mixed emo
tions about the ceremony, like Jami
Evans, a freshman exercise science ma
jor.
“If they are in a loving relationship,
that’s fine, as long as it’s not impressed
on me,” Evans said. “I believe God made
Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.”
The ceremony was performed with a
bridal party and a sermon that infonned
listeners of the problems same-sex mar
riages face.
Lesbian and gay couples are not able
to live in marital bliss under the current
state law, but the recent idea of domes-
The Texas A&M University chapter
of the National Organization for
Women sponsored a mock wed
ding where Jason Patton, a sopho
more biomedical science major,
and J.B. Langston -a junior com
puter science major, joined hands
in pretend matrimony along with
Natalie R. Wilson, a sophomore
zoology major, and Amy Hinze, a ju
nior political science major.
EATO/Thi
tic partnership has been presented as a
possible solution.
“Some people have proposed domes
tic partnership arrangements as an alter
native to same-sex marriage,” Bennett
said. “Although this is a step in the right
direction, domestic partnership plans do
not offer the same comprehensive array
of benefits, nor have the same legal or so
cial significance as simple marriages.”
“Over 100 rights that married couples
receive are not available to non-married
couples, such as hospital visitation,” Pat
ton said.
Bennett said the gay and lesbian
See Wedding on Page 2
S'
%
e </i
TAMU)
BY RICHARD BRAY
The Battalion
Parking, Traffic and Transportation Services (PTTS) and the
pent Government Association (SGA) of Texas A&M may
iem like strange bedfellows, but the two are working to change
at reputation.
Rachel Howe, director of student services for Student Govern-
lent is working with Sherryl Wine, a graduate student in educa-
pi administration, to fonn an evaluating and advising board made
up of employees from PTTS and students.
The new board was created to increase communication between
je two groups.
J “The students will have a greater understanding of what PTTS’s
role is on campus and how they relate to students,” ITowe said,
i A sophomore student, who wishes to be known only as Nick
Park, said the primary reason he dislikes PTTS is because they
Rem to randomly enforce the laws.
S “They enforce some rules but don’t enforce others. PTTS should
locus more on people parking in the street than people parking in
the wrong spot,” he said. “If you’re going to ticket people, ticket
everyone who deserves it.”
1 Tom Williams, director of PTTS, said most people who have
problems with PTTS are students who have been given a citation
b} a PTTS officer.
1 don’t know that everyone considers us the bad guys,” he said.
Tiose who choose to violate the system and cheat their classmates
PATRIC SCHNEIDER/Tm: Battalion
PTTS officer Donna Petri writes a ticket at
Mosher Circle.
out of a park
ing space
and receive a
citation don’t
think we’re
doing our
job, but our
job is to en
force [parking regulations].”
Howe said the job of PTTS is to govern the parking and traffic
on campus.
“They are a necessary service on campus, and unfortunately,
that necessary service is enforcing the rules and regulations,” she
said. “It’s a necessary evil.”
Williams said the primary reason students see PTTS in a negative
light is because they do not realize that PTTS performs a variety of
services around campus besides issuing citations.
“Most students view us as the parking enforcement group out
to get into their pocket book — but that’s really not the case,” he
said. “We manage the parking and transportation system, the bus
ing system, traffic at special events, the University fleet of vehicles
and the permit system.”
Williams said increased communication would help to improve
PTTS’ image with the student body, but he is not willing to go out
of his way to appease the student body.
“I’m not out to make any special efforts,” he said. “1 think
See PTTS on Page 2.
Institute assists
students abroad
BY BRANDIE LIFFICK
The Battalion
Cory Ramsey will pack her bags for Turkey. Cassady Yoder is headed for
Denmark.
Neither is going on vacation, though.
Through the MSC Jordan Institute for International Awareness, seven
Texas A&M students, including Ramsey and Yoder, will study abroad with
considerable financial backing as Jordan Institute Fellows.
“Part of our mission is to not only send students abroad, but to have them
come back and share with the rest of the student body what they did,” said
James Glueck, director of the Fellows program and sophomore agricultural
development major.
The Jordan Institute is funded through an endowment set up by Jessie W.
Jordan in honor of her husband, Leiand Jordan.
“The Jordans did a lot of traveling with his work, especially in the Mid
dle East,” Glueck said. “They never had any children of their own, and when
Leiand died, Jessie endowed their money to the children of A&M. It was their
way of giving back to the University.”
Glueck said the interviewing process for the fellowships is very compet
itive. Each applicant is responsible for making a proposal to the Jordan In
stitute including extensive details about their trip, from a time range to daily
expenses.
“The applicant’s proposals are totally individualized,” said Glueck. “They
all come in with different ideas; some of their projects may take two weeks
to complete, while others may take six months.”
Ramsey, an anthropology graduate student, is one of the Fellows being
sponsored by the Jordan Institute this semester. Ramsey’s proposal will take
See Institute on Page 2.
INSIDE
•Festival
gears up for
7th year.
Page 3.
•Selling the recipe for
death.
Page 1 3.
•Baseball heat
to Southwest
Texas.
Page 9.
Listen to KAMU-FM
90.9 at 1:57 p.m. for
details on the new CISD
head coach.
•Check out The Battalion
online at
battalion.tamu.edu.