HURSDAYFEBRUARY 28, 2002
VOLUME 108 • ISSUE 104
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TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
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the volume olsl
11 victim reli
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measured pec-J
ie to the terrcd
redit card scam affects 200 people
EZ-Mart customers notice unauthorized charges CrSefit (»ap@l
By Brandie Liffick
THE BATTALION
people surve.%
t donated in; . ~ . . „ . .
iv Includlno College Station man was arrested Friday
or voluntK nchar S es °* stealin g credit card numbers from
«ast 2(X) EZ-Mart customers and charging
fllto each of their accounts.
Roshy Rajendran, an EZ-Mart clerk at the
University Dr. location, told police he
25.5% j^iQUId “note down” customer card numbers and
go to the A&M Student Computing Center
■Are he would enter the numbers into a Web
i9.a%]
page that would credit his own company, called
Cataris. Rajendran was trying to start his own
computer company, said College Station Police
Department Detective Michael Pavelka.
EZ-Mart customers started noticing
charges to Cataris on their bills last week,
Pavelka said.
Rajendran currently is being held by the
police department, and bond has not yet
been set.
Pavelka said victims should contact their
banks and fill out a fraud affidavit, and then
contact the police at 764-3618.
“They need to then bring in the forms from
their bank, and we'll do everything we can to
get their money back,” Pavelka said. “This is a
good example of why it is so important for ^
credit card users to look over their statements
carefully and make sure that they know where
all the charges come from.”
EZ-Mart corporate officials did not return
phone calls Wednesday.
CHAD MALLAM • THE BATTALION
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JOHN LIVAS • THE BATTALION
Iharity the clown, Marcia Lightsey, was on hand
at the MSC to make balloon characters for
passers-by Tuesday afternoon. Lightsey was
sponsored by the Brazos Valley Coalition for Life.
Health Services
Director appointed
By C.E. Walters
THE BATTALION
Texas A&M selected a
new director of Student
Health Services
Wednesday.
Dr. Linda Lekawski was
hired to fill the vacancy left
by the late Dr. Lucille
Lsdale.
Of the three candidates
considered, Lekawski came
the most highly recommend
ed, said Associate Vice
President for Student Affairs
Dr. Bill Kibler. In addition to
Lekawski, Dr. Scott Spear
and Reginald Bond were
considered for the job. As
candidates, all three were
interviewed by people drawn
from a pool of 100 staff and
faculty members, students
and the local medical com
munity.
“[Lekawski wasj clearly
the most highly evaluated,”
Kibler said.
The recent controversy
surrounding the candidacy
of Spear, a supporter of
abortion rights and a for
mer employee of Planned
Parenthood, had little
impact on the outcome,
Kibler said. But, he said,
all opinions were taken in
to account.
Kibler said Spear did not
withdraw his application.
Brandon Posvar, presi
dent of Aggies for Life, a
group that was critical of
Spear’s candidacy, said he
was satisfied with the deci
sion not to hire him.
“I’m happy and 1 believe
that the administration
made the correct decision,
at least in terms of (not)
hiring Dr. Spear,” Posvar
said.
At its meeting last week,
the Student Senate tabled a
resolution asking that Kibler
consider a less politically-
active candidate than Spear,
See Health on page 2A
Wiley: Media effects are
far-reaching, powerful
By Melissa McKeon
THE BATTALION
The media decides what people think
about, act upon and what problems society
chooses to solve, veteran journalist Charles
Wiley said Wednesday.
Those who think the media deliberately
change the news to fit the reporter’s point of
view have every reason to feel correct in their
criticism, Wiley said. Wiley spoke in the
Memorial Student Center about accuracy and
bias in the media during a lecture hosted by
the Texas A&M College Republicans.
Wiley is a veteran journalist whose work
has led to his arrest eight times by secret
police, including the KGB and imprison
ment in Castro’s Cuba while reporting for
WOR radio in New York. He has covered 11
wars and travels the globe lecturing on
media bias and journalistic ethics. He is
also a frequent guest and commentator for
many magazines, newspapers and televi
sion-news shows.
He works for the Accuracy in Media group
based in Washington, D.C. Accuracy in
Media investigates complaints of serious
media malpractice and works to advocate
higher standards in writing, editing and
reporting the news responsibly.
Wiley spoke about advocacy journalism,
which he said is the type of journalism most
reporters use today. In that role, a journalist
reports on a certain issue from his or her point
of view.
He said the turning point from objective
journalism to advocacy journalism was the
1960s.
Wiley gave his opinion of why he felt the
See Journalist on page 2A
“Exhibit honors Black History in Forsyth gallery
By Christina Hoffman
THE BATTALION
Black History Month is coming to a close,
Jt the Forsyth Center gallery in the
lemorial Student Center will continue to
iok at the history of blacks at Texas A&M
iroughout the semester, with an exhibit, “In
ulfillment of a Dream: African Americans at
;xas A&M University.”
The exhibit aims to recognize the historical
mtributions, achievements and participation
’blacks since A&M began.
The exhibit, on loan from the Cushing
ibrary, will help students and visitors to the
tilery realize how far the history of blacks at
A&M spans, said Steve Smith, interim dean of
the Cushing Library and administrative curator
for the exhibit.
“It tries to show the good, the bad and the
ugly part of this history. In doing that, however,
I think we gain a greater appreciation for all
memberg of the Aggie family,” Smith said.
Research for the exhibit began in spring of
1998 by Angus Martin, a former staff member
of the Cushing Library. Originally the exhibit
showed in Cushing from February to June 2001,
then was displayed in the ground floor rotunda
of the Texas State Capitol during the summer.
“It is in a prime location. So far we have
received really great reviews,” said Marci
Holland, director of marketing for the Forsyth
Center. “I encourage everyone to come by and
see it.”
The exhibit honors important black figures
beginning in 1876, although blacks could not
enroll until 1963. However, in their support
staff capacity, many dedicated their lives to
help build A&M, and these men and women
are categorized as the invisible men and
women. Smith said.
“For example, Daniel Jackson worked on
campus from 1876 to 1920. He may hold the
record for longest tenure of any A&M
employee,” Smith said.
Since integration in 1963, blacks have
bailment of 3
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JoTTN TIVAS^THE batlalion
See Gallery on page 2A A&M black history exhibit in the MSC Forsyth Center gallery.
Prying methods researched at A&M
By Sarah Szuminski
THE BATTALION
II receive I
ig money, if f
g Place apartir f
a lease for yoif
^all 680-8475C The future of healthier snack food is promising,
ace leasing cef'cording to research of the frying process by Dr. Rosana
iin the Culpep^ ore ' ra ’ associate professor in A&M’s Department of
iological and Agricultural Engineering,
nts where stir rising new technology in food frying, junk food can
; made with a lower oil content, less vitamin loss and a
gher overall quality.
PjLqO Moreira has been studying the effects of various
real learning.
methods and alternatives to food frying processes for
more than 10 years, since the Frito Lay company first
expressed an interest in understanding the scientific
aspects of frying.
“At that time, no work in frying had ever been done.
Everyone knew how to fry (food), but the engineering and
scientific aspects were unknown,” Moreira said.
Two areas of her research are vacuum frying and steam
See Republicans on page 8A
INSIDE
AggieLife Pg. 3A
Let them eat
cookies
New wedding trends alter
traditional ceremonies
Sci|Tech Pg. 5B
The truth about
cloning
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