Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 5, 2001)
FRIDAYOCTOBER 5, 2001 1 SECTION • 10 PAGES NEWS IN BRIEF Aggies Can seeks donations at Kyle eld Saturday Hie second annual Aggies food drive will be held today at the A&M-Baylor otball game. Sponsored by e Student Athletic Advisory ommittee and Aggie Athletes ivolved, members will begin Electing non-perishable food ferns two hours prior to game ickoff at nine drop-off stations round Kyle Field. Donations will also be ccepted at the Albertson’s nd H.E.B. grocery stores in Wlege Station, and the Sears t Post Oak Mall through urday. items will be donated to leBrazos Valley Food Bank. Organizers hope to top last ear’s total collection of ) cans. iTexasA&M leaders announce a new undraising drive Texas A&M leaders pub- y announced plans for a capital funds campaign 125th anniversary gala hursday night. Dubbed “One Spirit. One tsion." the program will aim to rwde financial assistance to raise the University's level of imminence and quality. Jon Hagler, Class of 58. said the University has antial commitments from seneral alumni. 'Wsis the first vital step (ward treating momentum dor is decade." Hagler said. PUBLIC EYE opening, Texas A&M has awarded more than 265,000 degrees Page 3 POP music style has evolved throughout the years and is still changing today 24 Ags host Bears • Gamble, A&M welcome improved Baylor Rec Center blues • Women should have a separate area for working out fODAY 10% , HIGH 4 Im 83° F LOW 68° F tomorrow It HIGH 78° F LOW G- _y-j 58° F forecasts courtesy of ^vvw.weathermanted.com Texas A&M University — Celebrating 125 Years SERVING THE TEXAS A&M COMMUNITY SINCE 1893 Volume 108 • Issue 30 College Station, Texas www.thebatt.com STUART VILLANUEVA • THE BATTALION Dean of faculty, Janis Stuart (carrying the University Mace, the representatives from 165 universities and learned organizations symbol of the authority of the University) leads a procession of across campus to the Texas A&M academic convocation. 125 th draws scholars from across the U.S. By Eric Ambroso THE BATTALION Focusing on projected a budget shortfall, Texas A&M President Dr. Ray M. Bowen said inadequate funding could derail the University’s efforts to join the ranks of the nation’s top public universities. “I am sure Texas can solve this problem if they try,” Bowen said in his State of the University address. Bowen delivered the address Thursday at the Texas A&M Academic Convocation 2001, where delegates from prestigious universities across the coun try gathered to celebrate A&M’s 125th anniversary. The Academic Convocation began with del egates dressed in their aca demic regalia marching to Rudder Auditorium. The convocation’s keynote speaker, Harold T. Shapiro, focused on the moral and eth ical aspect of science that is often not considered when new technologies are being created, in his speech “Science, Anxiety, and Meaning.” Shapiro was president of Princeton University until May 2001 when he retired and took the title president emeritus. He is also a profes sor of economics and public affairs at Princeton. “Today we are compelled to science, but lack morals,” he said The example Shapiro used was genetics and cloning in the field of biomedical sci ence. Shapiro, a genetics expert, was appointed by President Clinton in 1996 to chair the Bioethics Advisory Committee that produced the report “Cloning Human Beings” the following year. Shapiro said that altering genes and cloning people is changing the future and many people are anxious about what will happen. The only way to calm nerves and be sure science is mindful of morals is “if different people will discuss discoveries and be willing to change their minds,” he said. The theme of Wednesday’s conference was “Higher Education In and For a Just Society” with several speech es and panel discussions. Shirley Strum Kenny, president of State University of New York at Stony Brook, said the government should guarantee a college education to those who want it. “A college education should be our birthright,” Kenny said. “Anyone who wants it should be able to get it. Cost should not be a factor in getting an education.” Students gather in Aggie spirit Music anchors day’s festivities By Justin Smith THE BATTALION Thousands of students danced, laughed, yelled, and ate throughout 12-hour 125th birthday bash at Simpson Drill Field Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. The celebration began at 4:30 Wednesday afternoon with a hamburger and fried chicken picnic at Rudder Fountain. As the students fin ished their meal, the party got under way at 6:00 with the jazz music of the Karan Chavis Band. Ronnie Saenz, chair of the 125th student committee, along with many other volun teers began organizing the party at the end of Spring 2001. The University allocat ed $30,000 for the party. Donations and T-shirt sales also helped shoulder the cost. With the sun slowly sinking into the horizon. Johnathan Fowler look the stage and the crowd’s attention with his own brand of acoustic rock. The crowd, which organizers said was more than 2,000, listened as a variety of musical per formers took the stage, includ ing alternative rock band Two Spy. “It was a real honor to play for the 125th and with these bands from all over Texas. It’s cool getting to play for such a diverse audience with all these international students too,” said Trent Foley, Two Spy lead guitarist and senior com puter engineering major. Adding to the eclectic mix of performers was country singer John Ashford Miles, See Party on page 2. Student Senate to face railroad problem By Elizabeth Raines THE BATTALION ■ Student senators are urging students to attend an on-campus meeting Oct. 24 to discuss alternative routes for the railroad tracks that run parallel to Wellborn Road. “There are a lot of political pres sures from a whole lot of sides but mostly from the people who do not want the railroad moved” said Kevin Capps, chairman of the senate’s exter nal affairs committee and a sophomore history major. “They are not necessari ly the majority, but they are the ones making all the noise.” Representatives from the Bryan- College Station Metropolitan Planning Organization will be in the John J. Koldus Student Services Building from 1 1:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to answer questions and listen to stu dents’ opinions on moving the rail road. Capps said students should be aware that construction will occur on on the A&M campus regardless of what route is chosen, and that students should speak up to ensure the railroad is moved. At Wednesday night’s senate meet ing, senators also discussed the process to fill vacant senate seats. Speaker Pro Tempore Kimberly Schell, a junior bio medical science major, said senators are urged to find constituents who would like to apply. Vacant seats include three in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, one in the College of Geosciences, two off-campus positions and one representing the south side of campus. “I was hoping to have fewer vacan cies at this time,” Shell said. “It is hard to keep a full senate.” Shell encourages anyone, including freshmen, who belong to one of the two academic colleges that are vacant or who live off campus or on the south side to apply. Student Senate applications are available in the student government offices in Koldus and are due Friday Oct. 12. Kelly Howard wins Class ’05 president Fun run will donate to NYC relief efforts By C.E. Walters THE BATTALION Kelly Howard was elected Class of 2005 president Wednesday night, capping off the runoff elections for Class of 2005 officer positions. Howard received 420 votes, or 55 percent, against oppo nent T.J. Waller, who received 346 votes, or 45 percent. “I think this is an amazing accomplishment and I think we both worked equally hard for this,” Howard said. Howard said she exhausted herself by campaigning to the point of cutting class for two days to catch up on sleep. Howard said one of her objectives is to ensure that Aggie Bonfire 2002 is a suc cess. “I really want to work on Bonfire,” she said. “It really means a lot to me. In my whole life I’ve only missed four and, one of my friends See Freshman on page 2. Marmtiteft wwrttfwl fry Ksvttt SarMtti elBciton gftntmtttiHHff CHAD MALLAM • THE BATTALION By Tanya Nading THE BATTALION Half of the proceeds from this Saturday’s Run to the Chicken will benefit the relief effort in New York City, organ izers said. Started by Delta Zeta five years ago, the run raised more than $14,000 last year for the Houston Ear Research Foundation and Delta Zeta Foundation, a scholarship pro gram. The group hopes to raise $20,000 this year. “The first year we started with about 50 runners, the sec ond year we had several hun dred and by the third year there were 1600,” said Katie McClosky, a member of Delta Zeta and a Run to the Chicken organizer. Nineteen Corps of Cadets outfits, several fraternities and other student organizations will join members of the com munity in what organizers hope will be a record turnout. “We participate because it’s See Run on page 2.