m
UESDAYAPRIL 23, 2002
VOLUME 108 • ISSUE 136
nnYYT?
1 ncj
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
layboy magazine coming to A&M
By Marianne Hudson
THE BATTALION
Irexas A&M fans and students will see
Te than Aggie football in Big 12 features
this fall with the October 2002 edition of
Plftboy magazine.
■Playboy will be interviewing and pho-
Haphing female Texas A&M students
this week for an issue featuring “Women
of t a Big 12.”
B’layboy publicist Karen Ring said the
magazine has published college editions
fof 25 years, photographing students from
different conferences each year. The Big 12
was last featured in 1996.
Students who want to be in Playboy
must call and make an appointment.
Ring said. Playboy will then tell them
the location of the interviews, which
she would not disclose. Playboy will be
interviewing Tuesday and Wednesday
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. All applicants
must bring their driver’s license and
student identification card as proof of
their enrollment at Texas A&M. In
addition, she said, they should bring a
swimsuit or piece of lingerie.
At the interview, applicants will
fill out information forms about their
hobbies and interests. Ring said. A
photographer will then take two or
’s accreditation
rocess changes
By Emily Peters
THE BATTALION
| r
■Southern Association of ( Alleges and
Jin Ihonls (SACS) this month as part of
■aH a pilot program revolutionizing the
kr; , 'raniuous process for Southern schools,
a mardii™^ 6 P rocess °f accreditation usu-
‘ (h |aly takes three years,
April* ""
01
5t
takes three years, with two
Stages of on and off-campus reviews
| bj a committee from SACS of facul
ty from peer institutions.
I A&M introduced a Web-posted
database of information that skimmed
the review process to only a year-and-
a-half, said Dr. Arthur M. Hobbs,
.leadership team member and A&M
fy'fessor of mathematics. The report
can be found at sacsreview.tamu.edu.
I “They had access to everything
they wanted to know about our
.Jniversity online,” said Jon Pitts, pro-
irresteddc issorof math and special assistant to
rotesters»: the provost in accreditation efforts,
i undersrt# | Provost Ronald Douglas said many
sleeping ihools probably will follow suit with
; said pofc the Internet system of posting infor-
i lation for the review committee.
rthenexii 11 “The committee had praises for
ere “goiigW&M and our role in this pilot proj-
when A'pct.'' he said. “It was very successful.”
jeted dunl SACS is the recognized regional
•crediting body for higher educa-
s 14,0001*M 011 in 11 U.S. Southern states,
ets protesii 1 !
lid. Man*
n, andcarnt|
to repns cl
Accreditation means the
University has been formally
reviewed and verified as a legitimate
institution, Hobbs said. Accreditation
is vital to a school because many
government and private funding
agencies will not grant funds to unac
credited universities, he said.
Hobbs said the review committee
was also interested in A&M’s innova
tive Quality Enhancement Plan and
its promise to reassess how A&M
programs measure success. Under
the plan, two stipends for $5,000 will
be assigned to each college to fund
research efforts to find new ways to
measure student success.
For instance, Hobbs said a pro
posed plan may trace graduates for
two years past graduation to see if
their degree program prepared them
sufficiently. The research will start
in Fall 2002.
Hobbs said SACS is interested in
programs that look into creative
ways to assess student learning.
The SACS committee that visited
campus for three days this month is
currently composing a report for
review by A&M before SACS makes
the ultimate approval, projected to
occur in December. Douglas said
A&M’s approval for reaccreditation
is ultimately guaranteed.
three shots of them in their swimsuits
or lingerie.
The selection of who will appear in
the issue will be based upon physical
appearance. Ring said.
“We want someone who is pretty
and well-proportioned,” she said. “It
helps if they have interesting hobbies,
but that is not what we are primarily
looking for.”
George Gerogiou, Playboy photog
rapher, said between 30 to 100 girls
interview, depending on the college.
Several students are usually chosen
from each university. He said 12 to 15
pages have been allotted in the issue as
Bug on a stick
pictorial pages representing students
from the Big 12 universities. There will
probably be no articles about the uni
versities in the pages, he said.
Gerogiou said he will photograph
the chosen students this weekend.
Most of the photo shoots will be in
bars or private residences, but none will
be on campus, he said.
Gerogiou said Playboy has not spo
ken with University officials about pho
tographing Texas A&M students.
“We haven’t had any problems
whatsoever with college campuses,” he
said. “We wouldn’t do anything to get
the girl in trouble.”
Gerogiou said the photographs
range in nudity levels.
“There are three levels,” he said.
“They can be nude, topless or clothed.
We leave it up to the girl on how much
they want to wear.”
Cynthia Kaye, Playboy stylist, said
the models’ pay varies depending on
their level of nudity.
“Rates are between us and the
model,” she said. “They can make any
where from $100 to $1,000.”
Gerogiou said models gain more than
monetary benefits for posing for Playboy.
“A lot of them have gone on to be
Playmates. Good things happen,” he said.
Sophomore agricultural business major Aaron Fritz exam
ines a grasshopper as part of his entomology project in the
STUART VILLANUEVA* THE BATTALION
MSC Flagroom Monday. Fritz spent the semester hunting
various insects to complete his collection.
the
with acli'S
larling
what poll 1
Hies iny
Police stress bike safety
By Sarah Szuminski
THE BATTALION
jimilar '0
ce stopp^
n the
id on i
To most students, visitors and residents,
|!ollege Station is a safe town, but this does not
ean that it is free from crime. Students should
^rnember to be aware of safety issues on and off
Campus, police officials say.
)W seatfo'l To help students remain safe, the University
)iit Pres'*'
ipendin?
ential
fid fmao-
Internal^
protester*
i forces > |
> with
Source: University Police Oeiwirtmeiit
“Our goal is to try to ensure the safety of every
one on campus,” Sergeant Allan Baron of the UPD
crime prevention unit said.
Students are encouraged to be aware of their
surroundings and keep an eye on people who are
in front of and behind them. They should stand tall
and make quick eye contact with people when
walking alone, Baron said.
The UPD has targeted the top three safety con
cerns on campus as bike theft, car burglaries and
an area code phone scam, said Baron.
Although the number of bike theft incidents
has decreased since last year, Baron said the num
ber is still high and
requires attention from the
department. From Sept. 1,
2001 to April 9, 2002,
there were 181 reports of
stolen bicycles, down from
239 reported the previous
year, Baron said.
The UPD recommends
that bike owners secure
their bikes to racks using a
quality U-bolt style lock to
prevent theft and register
their bike’s serial number
with the Department of
See Bike on page 2
irizes)
33
Splice Department (UPD) has come up with three
guidelines to ensure personal safety: students
should stay alert, communicate the message that
they are calm, confident and know where they are
g°ing and trust their instincts.
PREVENT BIKE THEFT
Properly lock bikes
with a case-hardened U-
bott lock securing the
bicycle frame to a rack
Secure quick release
front wheels on all
newer-model bikes
Don't use cable locks,
or inexpensive chain
locks that can easily be
cut or broken
CHAD MALLAM • THE BATTALION
Arafat meets with U.S. envoy
A&M ranks among top
12 for economic impact
By Christina Hoffman
THE BATTALION
The economic impact of Texas A&M ranks
efforts to help state and local agencies with eco
nomic development. A team of 40 research
experts considered a list of 164 Universities based
on development and research expenditures.
The survey was con
ducted by the Southern
Technology Council
and titled “Innovation
U: New University
Roles in a Knowledge
Economy.” A&M was
the only university in
Texas included in the
study.
William Perry,
executive associate
provost, said A&M
provides a major
impact for the econo
my in Texas because of the amount of effort
put forth by the University and the quality of
that effort.
There is no doubt about the
amount of impact we can have
(with our research), but you
have to look around to see the
quality of our research.
“The economy of any state is driven by dif
ferent industries. Texas’ economy is driven by
universities, technology, manufacturing, agricul
ture and oil,” Perry said. “We help people in
these areas with research and service.”
A&M contributes in research and service in the
areas of agricultural improvements that help drive
the Texas economy, and also medical research that
may impact the health
care industry.
“The research and
service has a positive
impact on the economy,”
Perry said. “There is no
doubt about the amount of
impact we can have (with
our research), but you have
to look around to see the
quality of our research.”
Perry said the quality
of the research A&M pro
vides for the state helped
rank A&M in the top 12.
See Economic on page 12
— William Perry
executive associate provost
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) —
While an Israeli army bulldozer
pushed cars in the parking lot outside,
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat met
Wlt h a U.S. envoy in his besieged
office Monday to discuss the standoff
there and at Bethlehem’s Church of
the Nativity.
The armed standoffs have persisted
°r three weeks and neither appears
close to a settlement. Until they are
resolved, there is little hope for a
cease-fire between the Israelis and
Palestinians.
Gunfire exchanges were heard
again Monday at the Church of the
Nativity, where an Anglican envoy
said the situation was worsening
steadily. The shrine is built at the
traditional site of Jesus’ birth.
In new violence in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip, five Palestinians and
one Israeli soldier were killed
Monday.
Israel’s army said a unit came
under fire between the northern West
Bank villages of Talouza and Assira
See Arafat on page 12
IWStOlf
Sports Pg. 7
Ags look to bounce
back against Rice
A&M faces No. 2 Owls for 2nd time
Opinion Pg. 11
Dangerous Games
Sports clubs should implement
safety precautions
WUMKUR
HIGH
86° F
LOW
70° F
HIGH
86° F
LOW
70° F