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108 Years Serving Texas A&M University
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Thursday, August 8, 2002
ponfire victims > families look for fair trial
By Melissa McKeon
THE BATTALION
y-
Bradley also isfe
ield director forth
‘z gubernatorial car'
e y's goals are mot? .
uth vote for Der
3tes this Novemh.S
3 ging Texas youth;; '
in the political pro;- Families and lawyers involved in law-
group's political jftiiits surrounding the 1999 Aggie Bonfire
tee raises money!: :ollapse are still hoping for a fair trial
mg people to m moving that Bonfire was a fatal structure
jespite recent decisions.
Last month, Texas A&M agreed to
/oluntarily comply with a ruling made by
he Texas Board of Engineers, mandating
hat any future Bonfire be supervised by
lips with legislatii:
sional candidates
’ear, the program
than $40,000 ft
ips.
i great opportr
eople to learn abo:
process up dost
I," Bradley said.
ithon Oiltc
expensing
options
ON (AP) - Maratf
nounced Tuesday!
will join a hand.
the University and a licensed professional
engineer oversee its design and construc
tion.
Sean Breen, brother of Bonfire victim
Christopher Breen, told board members
they were “compounding the total failure
of engineering responsibility” by not pun
ishing University officials named in com
plaints his family filed with the board.
“Our family was greatly disturbed by
the Board’s decision,” Breen said. “The
Bonfire Commission Report should be a
starting point, not an ending point.”
Breen said his family is reviewing its
options after the deal between the Board
of Engineers and A&M is examined.
On July 23, a judge in Galveston
removed A&M and University adminis
trators as defendants in six federal law
suits connected to the collapse.
U.S. District Judge Sam Kent ruled
A&M was not liable because of govern
mental immunity. Kent concluded that the
actions of 13 A&M officials named in the
suits, including former University
President Dr. Ray M. Bowen, did not rep
resent “deliberate indifference” as
required by federal law.
Kent said University officials knew the
danger the 59-foot Bonfire stack posed,
but they were not aware it could collapse.
According to Kent’s ruling, any state
claims included in the federal lawsuits
may be refilled in state court.
The families of the victims are disap
pointed with Kent’s ruling, but attorneys
are sure their case is firm. They will
appeal to the 5th Circuit of the United
States Court of Appeals, said Steve
DeWolf, attorney for Christopher Breen’s
family and others.
“From the depositions we took [from
Dr. Ray Bowen, Dr. J. Malon Southerland
and Rusty Thompson] it became clear that
the administrators knew Bonfire was the
most dangerous activity on campus
See Bonfire on page 2
Speakers chosen
for graduation
By Kelln Zimmer
THE BATTALION
Over 2,220
____ Texas A&M
companies coir graduates will be receiving
e stock option! diplomas Aug. 16 and 17 from
i in earnings repots University President Dr. Robert
ouston-based com Gates. The graduates will also
latest to volunfe t> e addressed by a member of the
accounting, ami f irs t family of Texas and a one-
stock options or time Texas A&M administrator.
which they matt
ed on the value el
were granted,
mge responds to
n investors foi
icy in financial rti
shady or quest:':
g fueled implosic
•p., WorldCom lot
ipanies.
Texas first lady Anita Perry
nd Southern Illinois University
arbondale Chancellor Walter
Wendler were chosen to
ddress graduates and under-
raduates at the commencement
eremonies to be held next week
n Reed Arena. The graduation
peakers were announced last
Iweek, but due to staff changes.
d so include Coca-
leral Electric
im and Boeing C
few companiesc Jthe Texas A&M Web site was
ons as expenses updated yesterday to profile the
it recently annou (speakers.
Wendler is an A&M graduate
and was a dean in the College of
Architecture before being
[named chancellor at Southern
[Illinois. He will address students
, _ l E e colleges of architecture,
nZiriengineering, geosciences, liberal
W’* *i| arts ’ roedicine and science at the
A ^commencement ceremonies
Aug. 16 at 7 p.m.
Perry has positioned herself
as an advocate for improved
[health care in Texas as well as
activism for careers in nursing
for young Texans. She will
speak at the ceremony Aug. 17
2002. He saidU
lly required tote?
infectious dis«
ie said, the test®!
tion within the®
mity.
officials wereiwi
ny researchers
ie body parts
or infected with,
ses, such as HI 1
and C. They ?■
to take preca:
t themselves »'
rts from UTMR
ese precautions
y down. The inf
alth is negligM-
ro,” Liebermanv
to individuals
hese tissues
at 9 a.m. to graduates in the col
leges of agriculture and life sci
ences, business, education and
veterinary medicine.
According to University
Relations, the selections are
made through faculty, staff, for
mer students and student recom
mendations given to the presi
dent and vice presidents of the
University.
The selections were made
under former University
President Dr. Ray M. Bowen.
Bowen also requested all gradu
ates stay until the end of the
graduation ceremonies.
“The selections were made
following recommendations
under President Bowen, and let
ters were sent to graduates ask
ing that they remain at the cere
mony until the end was sent
under President Bowen’s signa
ture,” said Lane Stephenson of
University Relations.
At past graduations, Bowen
sent a letter to all graduates ask
ing that all families, friends and
graduates not leave the ceremo
ny early. The letter expresses the
irfiportance of graduation and
the respect entailed in staying
through the entire ceremony.
In Bowen’s letter to Spring
2002 graduates, he wrote the tra
dition is at risk because of the
early departures by students and
their families after they receive
their diploma.
GRADUATION CEREMONIES
Friday, August 16, 2002
7 p.m.
"Speaker: Walter W, Wendler
Southern Illinois - Carbondale Chancellor
Saturday, August 17, 2002
9 a.m.
"Speaker: Anita Perry
Texas First Lady
'graduates and families are asked not to leave early
MANDY ROUQUETTE • THE BATTALION
i percent, up
in 2000. Li nVI
■ that the dep
ot- next year
et the nation*
improved
,med ne fp e p
ontinue, m
; goal is t0 ^
Endowment brings
humanities center
By Molly McCullough
the battalion
A recent endowment to the
Center for Humanities Research
oy the Melbern G. and Susanne
gT Glasscock Foundation makes
exas A&M one of the few pub-
re universities to have an
endowed humanities center.
Melbern G. Glasscock, Class
°f 1959, Susanne M. Glasscock
^nd the Melbern G. Glasscock
oundation have given numer-
0Us gifts to the University such
as funding for the Susanne M.
p asscock Humanities Book
nze for Interdisciplinary
Scholarship award, the
asscock University
rotessorship in Undergraduate
caching, a President’s
ndowed Scholarship, two Sul
oss Scholarships, as well being
a Pillar of A&M donor to the
Texas A&M Foundation’s Jon L.
Hagler Center.
“Melbern Glasscock is very
devoted to A&M in the way only
former students can be,” said
James Rosenheim, professor of
history and director of the
Melbern G. Glasscock Center
for Humanities Research. “He
understands this gift will make a
greater difference to A&M than
perhaps another university with
an already outstanding humani
ties department.”
This endowment will aid the
Center for Humanities Research
in several important ways such
as funding new programs for
visiting faculty, undergraduate
research and scholarship and
furthering scholarship and
See Humanities on page 2
Johnson celebrates
By Kelln Zimmer
THE BATTALION
With one year under his belt, liberal arts
dean Charles A. Johnson has no complaints
about his post.
“402 days,” he said with a smile. “It’s
been a good year, both for me and the col
lege, and we’ve all had a great deal off fun
in the process.”
Johnson took the reigns as the head of
liberal arts July 1, 2001. Before becoming
dean, he served as professor and head of the
Department of Political Science since 1992.
“It was an adjustment,” he said. “When I
was with political science, I got to do a lot
of walking around and had a real sense of
my organization. Now, I’m almost embar
rassed to say it, but there are days when I
don’t leave this office.
“The biggest adjustment was seeing my
calendar filled up with meetings. I still get
to go out and talk to students and faculty, I
have just learned to cherish those times
more than before.”
Johnson came to A&M in 1978 as an
assistant professor of political science. A
year earlier he received his doctorate from
the University of Kentucky.
The most rewarding thing Johnson has
seen over the last year is the interest others
outside the college have shown in the initia
tives set forth by liberal arts.
“The most gratifying thing for me has
been the number of people, both in and out
side the University, that have wished the
college well and expressed their support,”
he said. “There has been an affirmation of
the belief that it is critical to have a strong
College of Liberal Arts in order for the
University to be successful.”-
One of the items on the college’s agenda
has been pushing national prominence.
With nationally recognized programs
throughout the University, including engi
neering and business, the College of Liberal
Arts faces a challenge to be recognized on a
RANDAL FORD • THE BATTALION
After his first year as dean of Liberal Arts, Charles A, Johnson has little to complain
about. Johnson has put national prominence on the college's agenda.
national level.
“In order to achieve national promi
nence, you must have funding,” Johnson
said.
The Center for Humanities Research at
A&M received an endowment from the
Melbern G. and Susanne M. Glasscock
Foundation and has since been renamed to
reflect their gift. Johnson sees this as a step
towards national recognition for the
University.
Also, The Center for the Study of the
First Americans has recently been housed at
A&M, previously in Oregon, and touts the
internationally famous archeologist Dr.
Robson Bonnichsen. In addition. Dr.
Charles H. Rowell is considered to be one
of the most exciting additions to the
University with the journal Callaloo, now
located on the A&M campus.
“Dr. Rowell and Callaloo bring a pres
ence to Texas A&M among African
American and Africana scholars and cre
ative writers all over the country that will
pay enormous dividends,” Johnson said.
Johnson said hiring practices have been
in use to support diversity.
“We conduct faculty searches with
diverse candidate pools, and we are using
the same tactics to attract undergraduate and
graduate students to Texas A&M that bring
diversity,” he said.
One continuing challenge with attracting
faculty is funding.
“To recruit and keep the best faculty you
must be able to offer a competitive salary,”
See Johnson on page 2
Prince says Saudi Arabia will deny
United States access to attack Iraq
JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi
Arabia will not give the United States access
to bases in the kingdom for an attack on
Saddam Hussein, but the foreign minister
said Wednesday the longtime U.S. ally does
not plan to expel American forces from an
air base used for flights to monitor Iraq.
In an interview with The Associated
Press, Prince Saud said the 70-year-old
U.S.-Saudi alliance was just as solid now as
before the Sept. 11 terror attacks on the
United States.
He said Osama bin Laden, who was
stripped of Saudi citizenship and who
directed the al-Qaida attacks, had intended
to drive a wedge between the two countries
when he chose 15 Saudi citizens to be
among the 19 hijackers who crashed planes
into the World Trade Center in New York
and the Pentagon.
Beyond that, Saud denied the kingdom
sends financial aid to Palestinian suicide
bombers who have killed more than 260
Israelis in 22 months of Mideast violence.
Opposition to a U.S. attack to overthrow
Saddam is gaining strength in Europe as well.
In an interview published Wednesday,
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said
military action would wreck the internation
al front fighting terrorism worldwide and in
Afghanistan, throw the Mideast into turmoil
and hurt the world economy.
In Britain, a country seen as President
Bush’s strongest backer against Iraq, Mike
O’Brien, Foreign Office minister, for the
Middle East, suggested Baghdad’s recent
gesture to readmit weapons inspectors could
make military action unnecessary.
Saud said his government had made no
secret of its opposition to a U.S. strike on Iraq.
“We have told them we don’t (want)
them to use Saudi grounds,” the prince said
when asked if the kingdom would allow the
United States to use Saudi facilities for such
an attack.
The United States reportedly has quietly
moved weapons, equipment and communi
cations gear from Saudi Arabia to the al-
Udeid Air Base in Qatar in recent months,
concerned the kingdom would limit
Washington’s ability to act freely.
Colombian hard line president takes office
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP)
— Huge explosions rocked
Colombia’s capital and the area
around Parliament Wednesday
as hardline Alvaro Uribe
entered the building to be sworn
in as president of this troubled
and violent South American
country Wednesday. At least 12
people were killed in the blasts,
witnesses said.
Three blasts hit within blocks
of the Parliament building as
Senate leader Luis Alfredo
Ramos prepared to give the oath
of office to Uribe, who has
vowed to wipe out rebels who
have been fighting Colombian
governments for 38 years.
At least one other explosion
also went off adjacent to the
nearby presidential palace,
wounding a policeman, who
staggered bloodied from the
scene. The blast chipped the
stone wall of the palace and
blew out windows.
Government warplanes were
seen streaking above the capital
after the blasts.
Witness reported seeing 10
dead bodies in the street and in a
demolished shack in the poor
Cartucho neighborhood, five
blocks from parliament. The
attorney general’s office also
said at least two other people
died in the explosion closer to
parliament.
There was no immediate
claim of responsibility for the
blasts nor was it clear what had
caused them. Rebels often use
inaccurate homemade mortars
in their attacks.
Concerned about a rebel
assassination attempt, Uribe had
forgone the traditional outdoor
ceremony in Bogota’s colonial
central plaza and moved the
swearing in to the parliament.
SOURCES: Associated Press: ESRI