MONDAY
March 6, 2000
Volume 106 ~ Issue 106
10 pages
tball
its 2nd
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V BREE HOLZ
1'he Battalion
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Replant honors 12 Aggies
BY ANNA BISHOP
The Battalion
The sun shone brightly on Polo Street
Saturday morning as Texas A&M Uni
versity students gathered for the ninth an
il Replant.
This year, in addition to trees, the Re
plant Committee sowed memories deeply
rooted in tradition.
Prior to meeting at their designated
planting spots, students gathered on Polo
Street, behind the bonfire site, to pay trib
ute to the 12 students lost in the 1999 Ag
gie Bonfire collapse.
Three separate services were held to
plant twelve live oak trees, which will serve
as living, growing memorials to these fall
en Aggies.
The 12 Aggies honored were Chad
Powell Jamie Hand, Michael 1-banks, Tim
Kerlee, Christopher Breen, Jerry Don Self,
Jeremy Frampton, Lucas Kimmell, Miran-
daAdams, Bryan McClain, Nathan West
and Christopher Heard.
Family and friends of these students
were present for the tree-planting
memorials.
Speakers for Saturday’s memorials in
cluded A&M President Dr. Ray M. Bow en,
Student Body President Will Hurd, Vice
President of Student Affairs Dr. J. Malon
Southerland, Director of Student Activities
Kevin Jackson and Pete Smith of the Na
tional Tree Trust.
Bowen said Saturday morning’s memo
rial services provided a time and opportu
nity to honor the lost Aggies and a legacy
to pass on to generations to follow.
First time Replant participant mid senior
sociology major Jacki Franzen said she
thought it was very important to plant die oaks.
“1 find it a blessing that people have do
nated these trees to contribute to the beau
ty of the University,” said Franzen. “To
day’s ceremonies and tree plantings are the
least we can do to honor our fellow class
mates lost in the collapse.”
Following each memorial, Replant
participants left to go to either the Bryan
STUART VILLANUEVA/The Battalion
Twelve trees were planted Saturday in memory of the twelve Aggies killed in the collapse of the Bonfire stack
last fall. (From left clockwise) Janice West places a sign in front of the tree she planted in memory of her \
son Nathan Scott West. Corps members from Company D2, (left to right) Jacob Shelton, a freshmen busi
ness administration major, Nathan New, a freshmen civil engineering major and Robby Acosta, a freshmen
biomedical science major, plant a tree in memory of Lucas Kimmel who was a member of Company D2.
Melissa Hand, an junior agricultural business major (third from left) stands with friends (from left) Jennifer
Johnson, a sophomore business major, Lori Makarski a junior animal science major and Sara Gasaway, a
sophomore Health Education major, in front of the tree planted in memory of her sister, Jaime Hand.
Regional Athletic Complex (BRAC),
Lake Bryan or Lake Somerville. There
they planted large trees and repotted one-
and two-year-old trees to be used in next
year’s Replant.
Replant organizers said more than 200
trees were planted in Bryan alone, and
over 2,000 students volunteered in this
year’s Replant.
“This is my second year to participate
[in Replant]. I always have so much fun out
here replanting trees. I feel this is a small
way for me to help give back to the envi
ronment and community,” said Deserea
Wirtz, a sophomore mechanical engineer
ing major.
“Replant has proven itself to unify stu
dents in one common goal,” senior bio
medical science major Leroy Cortinas said.
“To sustain tradition — to let the memory
live on and never die.”
Student dies
in car wreck
BY MEREDITH HIGH!
The Battalion
Texas A&.M student Charles
Williams II was involved in a fatal
car wreck Friday.
Witnesses said Williams’ Ford
Explorer was southbound on High
way 6 when the back right tire blew
out, causing him to lose control of
the vehicle.
The Explorer then went onto the
shoulder of the highway and rolled
several times. Williams was then
transported to the College Station
Medical Center by ambulance.
Williams, a junior political sci
ence major, returned to A&M this semester after a year at the University of
Houston. Williams, originally from Galveston, was diagnosed with leukemia
his sophomore year and transferred to the University of Houston so he could
be treated for leukemia in Houston.
At the time of the accident, Williams’ leukemia was in remission.
Williams’ mother died of cancer during his freshman year at A&M.
Williams was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity at A&M.
“He was a very determined and strong individual. He had a lot of goals,”
said Curtis Pete, president of Kappa Alpha Psi and a senior civil engineering
major. “He had been through a a lot, and he didn’t let that stop him.”
“[His death] was a shock to us. It came so sudden,” he said.
Metric Manning, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, said Williams worked
for cancer awareness.
“He was a very strong-willed individual. He was a hard worker, especial
ly on the cancer issue. He pushed for public awareness,” Manning said.
Part of the proceeds from the recent Greek Olympiad show are going to
the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
His father could not be reached for comment.
Williams will be honored at Silver Taps on Tuesday, March 7.
Candidates file
for 2000 election
Charles Williams II
ies won the GTE Aggl
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Men’s tennis team upsets Gators
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take one out o
BY AL LAZARUS
The Battalion
The University of Florida men’s tennis team boasts
the nation’s fourth-best ranking and a defending
NCAAsingles champion in junior .1 elf Morrison.
High rankings and national titles would not be
enough to spoil the Aggies’ home opener.
The 18th-ranked Texas A&M men’s tennis team —
fresh off a three-week, five-match road trip — opened
its home schedule with a vengeance Sunday afternoon,
trouncing the Gators, 5-2, in front of a rowdy Varsity
Tennis Center crowd of 502.
“Our team’s effort was just unbelievable today,”
A&M junior Shuon Madden said. “We played our
hearts out for the whole match, and it paid off for us.”
The Aggies evened their record at 3-3 with the win,
with all three of their losses coming on the road
against top-15 teams.
“We’ve been playing on the road a lot, and this
first home match was just unbelievable,” said A&M
freshman Ryan Newport, who joined the Aggies in
January after graduating from Houston’s Cy-Fair
High School in December. “All the fans made it so
exciting to be here at home.”
Madden, ranked No. 8 in singles play, helped key
the victory by dominating Morrison, who entered the
match with a No. 7 ranking. Madden broke serve in
the first game and rarely looked back, cruising to a
6-2, 7-5 victory over the defending NCAA champ.
Junior Cody Hubbell and Newport also grabbed
quick leads in their singles matches. Hubbell coasted to
a 6-0,6-2, victory at No. 4 singles over Florida’s Olivi
er Levant, while Newport — whose victory clinched
the match for A&M — knocked offUF’s Dylan Mann
at No. 5,6-2,6-3. Sophomore Jarin Skube added a fifth
point for the Aggies at the No. 6 spot, defeating Flori
da’s Troy Hahn, 7-5, 6-4.
The Aggies took control early, winning two of
three doubles matches to clinch the doubles point.
The 12th-ranked duo of Madden and junior Dumitru
Caradima was victorious in the No. 1 spot, 8-6 over
Mann and Morrison.
Playing in die third doubles spot, Hubbell and Skube
secured the doubles point with an 8-5 victory over UF’s
Justin O’Neal and Marcos Asse.
“We did a great job of getting the momentum early
in the match and keeping it,” said A&M coach Tim Cass,
who now has three victories over top-10 teams since ar
riving at A&M in 1996. “I was really pleased with our
composure when we got into pressure situations.”
The Aggies return to action Wednesday at 6
p.m. against No. 51 South Alabama at the Varsity
Tennis Center.
BY KENNY MACDONALD
The Battalion
Four student body president and
11 yell leader candidates have offi
cially filed for the spring elections.
Ashlea Jenkins, election com
missioner and a political science
major, said Brandon Garrett, a se
nior international studies major;
Forrest Lane, a senior political sci
ence major; Corey Rosenbusch, a
junior agricultural development ma
jor; and Jeff Schiefelbein, a senior
marketing major, will be running for
student body president, pending
continuation of their eligibility.
“On Monday, I will go and
STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT
CANDIDATES
• Brandon Garrett
-SENIOR INTERNATIONAL
STUDIES MAJOR
• Forrest lane
-SENIOR POLITICAL
SCIENCE MAJOR
• left Schiefelbein
-SENIOR MARKETING
MAJOR
•Cory Rosenbusch
-JUNIOR ACRICULTURAL
DEVELOPMENT MAJOR
REUBEN DELUNA/The Battalion
JP BEATO/The Battalion
Eighth-ranked Texas A&M junior Shuon Madden returns
a serve from seventh-ranked University of Florida junior
and defending NCAA singles champion Jeff Morrison
Sunday afternoon at the Varsity Tennis Center. Madden
defeated Morrison, 6-2, 7-5, in the 18th-ranked Aggies’
5-2 victory over the fourth-ranked Gators.
check their grades and make sure they are high enough to qualify. Until then,
it is not official yet,” she said.
Candidates were required to file by Friday, March 3.
Candidates need an overall grade point ratio of 2.5 to run and must post
a 2.0 GPR while they are in office. Candidates must also be in good stand
ing with the University and be here for three full semesters.
While the eligibility check is required, Jenkins said she doubted that any
one would take the trouble of applying if they knew that they did not meet
the requirements.
Campaigning for spring elections will begin March 19, the Monday after
spring break.
Voting will take place on March 29 and 30.
Jenkins will determine Monday if online voting will be allowed in the
See Election on Page 2.
International Week ends with talent show, parade
BY DANA JAMUS
The Battalion
In celebration of the unity of their diversity, students
from around the globe filled the seats of Rudder Auditori
al ®ito watch fellow international students bring alive a host
of cultures last Friday.
Winners for the talent show perfonnances included the
African Student Association, China Club, Philippine Stu-
dipent Association, Indonesian Student Association and the
Venezuelan Student Association, according to talent show
director Maria Morgun.
Thejudges were nominated officials from the Univer
sity, including professors and officials with University-re-
:d organizations.
Thejudges chose the best five performing associations
h no ranking order. International Student Association
(ISA) President Gustavo De Sousa said this is to ensure
it no chosen cultural performance is referred to as the
test,” and [it] is a method voted on by all the association
Presidents.
Fidel Moreno, Venezuelan Student Association coor-
tl* dinator and a graduate student, said winning one of the tal-
iiii Wshow awards “was great.”
“We’ve been celebrating all weekend,” he said, ex-
lln Plaining that the group of 25 performers had been practic-
"igtwo or three times a week, and on weekends, since the
taginning of January.
In the dress parade, the top five winners were the In
donesian Student Association, the China Club, the Chinese
Ifi Student Association, the India Association and the Indian Student Asso-
Jtion, according to Reny Vargis, director of the dress parade.
Although 13 clubs or associations participated in the dress parade,
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JP BEATO/The Battalion
The India Association present “Scenes from an Indian Wedding” at the International
Talent Show Friday night in Rudder Auditorium.
not all the clubs or associations in the talent show participated in the
dress parade.
Mohamed El-Ahmady, an Egyptian graduate student, felt that the bel
ly dancing by the Arab Association “does not represent the Arab culture.”
Nivin Aziz, president of the Arab Association, said she
agrees that belly dancing is a small part of Arab culture, but
“this is a talent show,” and belly dancing is a traditional dance
in most Arab countries and is the most “well known.”
Aziz learned to belly dance when she was 12 years old dur
ing one of her six visits to Egypt. She learned from the women
in her family who are all exceptionally good at it, she said.
“Belly dancing is a type of art form that is very difficult
to do,” she said, not just “a neurotic dance as some people
see it.”
Aziz said that a lack of people willing to participate was
also a hindrance in deciding what to display. The association
is made up of 12 people, and only five participated.
“This is one type of dance of many,” she said. “It was just
the easiest to do with limited people.”
The shortage of participants contributed to the Arab Asso
ciation’s absence in the dress parade.
El-Ahmady said the perfonnance was a “representation of
what the West believes that Arab culture is.”
There are 23 Arab-speaking countries, he said, with a long
history and a whole array of cultures. Overall, the performance
was a disappointment at having this broad culture reduced to
a few men clapping at one girl dancing, he said.
Aziz said she believes that many international students lose
their identity because of A&M’s strong traditions and feel
“pressure to take on this Aggie image that A&M tries to im
press on everyone.”
She said she does not feel that there is enough representa
tion for international students here as in other universities. This
could be due to the small number of international students that
attend A&M, she said.
However, she feels that A&M has “greatly improved its accommo
dations and friendliness for international students,” than in the past.
INSIDE
•Aggies
down
'Huskers
in overtime ,
Page/
•Creativity in motion
Hidden publishing op
portunities for students
Page 3
•Taking
protest
by the
horns
Page 9
• Listen to KAMU-FM 90.9
at 1:57 p.m. for details on
the College Republicans
and the election
» Check out The Battalion
online at
hattalion.tamu.edu.