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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 20, 2002)
NATJOl riALio 'ALIGN used tions, earch , who Texas. Aggielife: Summer job difficulties • Page 3 1st ns Opinion: Celebrities are not experts • Page 9 Volume 108 • Issue 153 • 10 pages 108 Years Serving Texas A&M University www.thebatt.com Thursday, June 20, 2002 UPD identifies cadets in hazing photographs By Christina Hoffman THE BATTALION The University Police Department (UPD) has identified the Corps of Cadets members from the hazing pho tographs and confirmed they are mem bers of A-Battery, said Bob Wiatt, director of UPD. UPD began an investigation Monday into an apparent hazing inci dent after photos of Corps members involved in the incident were found on the Aggieland computer server June 1 1. The photos showed the men strip ping another man of his clothes, blind folding him and duct taping his hands, arms and legs together. “[The photos] appear to be hazing,” Wiatt said. “Even if there are willing participants involved, it is hazing.” Tamara Adams, 2002 Aggieland Editor and a senior economics major and Allison Nagle, the Aggieland photo editor and senior journalism major, said they .found the photographs on the serv er last week. “I was shocked (to find the photos) because I knew it wasn’t an assignment we sent anyone on,” Nagle said. Adams identified the photographer as Anthony Yasser, a senior engineering technology major. Wiatt said many participants have been called, including anyone who knew of the incident but may not have been directly involved. Police have not spoken with the photographer, he said. “Any student or participant involved will be investigated,” Wiatt said. “Someone can be charged in the hazing incident for not reporting it (to police).” When UPD completes the investiga tion it will turn the results over to the Brazos Country District Attorney’s office, which will determine whether charges will be filed, Wiatt said. Peter Keim, assistant district attor ney at the Brazos Country District Attorney’s office said the DA’s office will review UPD’s results and deter mine if it is a prosecutable case. He said a prosecutable case depends on the elements of the defense defined by the Texas Education Code, Section 37.152. He also said the code defines hazing in a very broad manner and so it See Photos on page 2 Associate professor receives service award USGS; Coloradf set by vho face t. r pusheij icres o Denvei' rued lose 1 to stall 0 peopl ; ir home' ing pri or | Mountain ere blaze ido. By Lauren Bauml THE BATTALION Dr. Barbara Gastel, associate professor of journalism and humanities in medicine, has not only made a substantial mark on the field of medicine but on the field of journalism as well. Gastel was recently honored with the Distinguished Service Award from the Council of Science Editors. Throughout her tenure at A&M, which has exceeded 13 years, Gastel has held an editorial position, published numerous arti cles, taught classes in both the Journalism and the Humanities in Medicine departments, and also served as interim head for the Department of Journalism. “I am pleased to receive recognition from my col leagues,” Gastel said. Gastel obtained her bachelors degree from Yale University and her masters and doctorate from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She began her career as a special assistant to the office of the director at the National Institute of Aging and Health, and has since worked in places such as Massachusetts, Beijing, and California. “The position here at A&M brought me to College Station and has held me here since,” Gastel said. See Gastel on page 2 RANDAL FORD • THE BATTALION Barbara Gastel, associate professor of journalism and humanities in medicine, was awarded the Distinguished Service Award. Suicide bomber kills 6 Israel forces reoccupy Palestinian areas JERUSALEM (AP) — A suicide bomber sprang from a car, slipped past a pair of policemen and blew himself up at a busy intersection in Jerusalem Wednesday, killing at least six other people in the second deadly attack in the city in two days. Responding, Israeli forces early Thursday entered a sub urb of the West Bank town of Ramallah. The Israeli military had no immediate comment. Palestinian witnesses said tanks circled a house in Beitunia, where soldiers apparently planned to make arrests. Shortly after the suicide attack, Israeli helicopters fired rockets at metal workshops in the Gaza Strip used to manu facture weapons. Thirteen Palestinians were hurt, two seriously, Palestinian doctors said. A group tied to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s Fatah faction, the A1 Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, claimed responsibili ty for the suicide bombing, according to A1 Manner televi sion station run out of Lebanon by the militant Islamic group Hezbollah. Israel said early Wednesday that it would seize and hold parts of Palestinian territory in retaliation for terror attacks, and troops moved into three West Bank towns. In Washington, President Bush decided to hold off revealing his plan for a future Palestinian state. Administration officials said an announcement at this sen sitive time would be unlike ly to have a positive effect. Aides said the announce ment may be delayed until next week. A trip to the Middle East next week by Secretary of State Colin Powell also was put on hold, though it remained under consideration. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon adamantly opposes any form of Palestinian statehood at this time, and blames Arafat for failing to stop the attacks. In one of his strongest con demnations ever. Pope John Paul II decried Tuesday’s attack, saying “those who plot and plan such barbarous attacks will have to answer before God.” More than 50 prominent Palestinians signed a full-page newspaper ad in al Qaida news urging groups behind deadly assaults on Israeli civilians to “stop sending our young peo ple to carry out such attacks.” On Wednesday, the bomber emerged from a red Audi and dashed toward a concrete bus stop shelter, which is also used as a hitchhiking post. The intersection has been targeted by assailants in the past and was heavily guarded. But the attacker made it past a pair of border policemen. “The police chased him to try to stop him, and when he got to the (bus stop), he blew up a large device,” said Jerusalem Police Chief Mickey Levy. One policeman chasing the bomber was badly hurt. Levy said. More than 35 peo- Day of violence Responding to Tuesday’s suicide attack, Israeli troops moved into West Bank towns. A second suicide attack Wednesday was quickly followed by further Israeli retaliation. Ramallah West Bank Second suicide bombing in two days killed at least six ST Tuesday's suicide blast killed 19 L SRAEL Jerusalem , , / t'^rOld City ' \ : : <8> incursions by Israeli troops C ?T Goldn Heights Troops prepared for extended occupation Mi’diiet raneah Sea i J Jenii Qai iqlliyah^ Tel-Aviv* ISRAEL West / Bank Y Jerusalem > ^JSiaza City Israel retaliated to suicide bombing with missile strikes in Gaza Strip SOURCES: Associated Press, ESRI AP pie were wounded, many of them seriously. Body parts and shattered glass littered the street, and religious volunteers propped a ladder against a stone wall and picked through the shrubbery for bits of human remains. Demand for luxury living increases COST OF LUXURY LIVING By Ruth Ihde THE BATTALION its! 06 In recent months there has been an upsurge in demand for luxury-style living in the College Station area. As new apartments ar e being built around College Station, the rates and services being offered by the complexes are increasing. Apartments such as The Exchange at Luther Street and Crossing Place are two of the major complexes new to the College Station area, while apart ments such as Melrose, The Zone and Sterling have been around for at least three years. The cost of living in these complexes range from $300 to $700 per month depending on the number of bedrooms and bathrooms desired and how long the lease extends. Although it seems expensive for a college student, these apartments offer amenities such as standard cable packages, a phone line, high speed internet connections, out door entertainment and most utilities included in the rent. The college-type atmosphere is another added benefit to these complexes. Most of the residents living in them are college stu dents and are offered a chance to get to know each other. Most of the newer apartments also offer the convenience of individual leases, which proves to be bene ficial to those not wanting to depend on their roommates to pay their rent on time. “I like the convenience of pay ing separate leases and having See Luxury on page 8 RENT: INCLUDES: TRADfTIONS 2 bed / 1 botb $851/MO. cabte DORM 1 bed / 1 bam $689/MO. internet electricity | phone water CROSSING PLACE 4 bed / 4 bom $350/MO. $30/MO. etectrlcfty cabte internet phone water twBimmmmmBiwmwmtsmmmmtassii EXCHANGE 4 bed / 4 baftr MMHMaMmnfiHiflnHH $420/MO. cabte AT LUTHER STREET 1 bed / 1 bath $675/ MO. internet electricity phone TRAVIS SWENSON • THE BATTALION Microsoft agreement gives students reduced software prices By Don White THE BATTALION A Microsoft software agreement, which students had the opportunity to vote on in —~ Lum vuic uii in late March during student elec- Unfversfty Agreement With Microsoft tions, could be available this fall and considerably reduce the price students pay for Microsoft software. Campus Agreement 3.0 is a common plan among higher edu cation institutions across the coun- - sat Provides students with: • Software for under $20 • Windows XP □ • Microsoft Office S3 • Compatability with Macintosh TRAVIS SWENSON • THE BATTALION try. The plan aims to distribute commonly used Microsoft prod ucts to students at reduced prices. Negotiations to bring the plan to A&M are currently underway. “The agreement is being negotiated with the intent for this fall,” said Tom Putnam, director of Computing and Information Services (CIS). Software included in the package would consist of titles such as the operating system Microsoft XP, the Microsoft Office family of home publish ing software and the internet programming . suite Visual Studio NET. The official price will be announced once negotiations are complete, but prices set by these plans are typically less than $20, said Microsoft Education Account Manager Lisa Faia. At such low prices, piracy becomes a greater concern. Students pressed for cash could use the low costs as an opportuni ty to buy software for a low price and sell it at store prices for a high return. However, the agree ment will only allow one copy of each program per student ID. Dr. Pete Marchbanks, asso ciate director for CIS, said recent Microsoft products such as Windows XP have built-in piracy protection that limits the programs installation to one machine. “Once it’s loaded, it remem bers the machine’s configuration,” he said. “If you change the con figuration, you will probably have to call a number to get it to work ” Marchbanks said all sales of the reduced price software bun dle will be handled by the University, similar to the way CIS distributes the “TAMUNet” internet software bundle. It will not be available for purchase at bookstores. Apple Macintosh users will be able to use appropriate ver sions of the same Microsoft programs, Marchbanks said. Linux, a popular open-source operating system, will not be actively supported. Eric Webb, a senior manage ment information systems major, said he thinks this deal will be beneficial for all students but especially those with a com puter-related major. “I’ve spent a lot of money on software in the four years I’ve been here,” Webb said. “It’ll be nice for new students to be able to use the latest, best software to do their work and not have to take out even more loans to do it.” Webb said he feels it is an important advantage for stu dents to be able to work at home with the same software used in their workplace. “I know a lot of people will wonder why it’s such a big deal to get all this software for home when they can use it for free on campus,” Webb said. “But I think using (the software) at home (and not just on campus) can help you down the road so you’re more familiar with it.” in