Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 12, 2002)
THE Sports: Bonds now chasing Mays • Page 3 Opinion: Clinton also deserves blame • Page 7 ATTAT TO JLjL A A / m I j I \_J [Volume 108 • Issue 182 • 8 pages 108 Years Serving Texas A&M University www.thebatt.com Monday, August 12, 2002 Bryan still unsure of banker’s intentions •BSON • THE BATTAUft ott (right), find ttii r cap and gown or By Ruth Ihde THE BATTALION Bryan banker Don Adam threatened to file suit last week against the city of Bryan if it moves forward with the Traditions Golf Course development. He is gathering information for an alternate proposal for the west side golf course and residential project. Adam’s plan is not yet clear, and even though there has not been an offi cial proposal as to what the city of Bryan can do with the 900 acres of land intended for Traditions, there has been mention from Adam and TAC Realty to propose a residential development, which will cease competition between the two golf courses. Adam, who established the Miramont Golf Course in east Bryan, has hired attorney Jonathan Day, an expert in municipal finance out of Houston, to examine the validity of the Traditions contracts. Ernie Wentrecek, a Bryan City Council member, says Adam hired a lawyer to prove the original Traditions contract is void because funds to sup port a $17 million debt were not men tioned in the original document. For about two years, there has been an ongoing dispute between the city of Bryan and Adam. Originally, Adam and the city were to team up and build the Traditions golf course together, but there were irrecon cilable differences about the location of the golf course. Adam wanted the golf course to be on the east side of Bryan, and the city wanted it on the west side. Since then, Adam has decided to build his own golf course on Boonville Road in east Bryan and the city has been working on Traditions off of Villa Maria on the west side. This past October, the land develop er for Traditions, ClubCorp USA, backed out of the project and Melrose Corporation took over. Since that time, development has been slow and has been delayed for another year. As a result, the city has been losing money on the project. Traditions Golf Course is to be the home of Texas A&M University’s men and women’s golf teams, but no comment has been made on what will happen if the Traditions project is halted. Mary Kaye Moore, another Bryan City Council member, said although Adam has made mention to a housing development in place of the Traditions golf course, there has been no official proposal yet. Adam did not return phone calls for comment Friday on what his next plan of action was to be. Tuesday there will be a Bryan City Council meeting where members will go into executive session, Wentrcek said. In that meeting, Michael Cosentino, the city attorney, will explain the city’s options. “I may be limited.in what 1 can say in reply to the questions because of all of the litigation going on,” Wentrcek said. The city of Bryan had not taken any action to pull out of the Traditions proj ect as of Friday afternoon. “We were told to expect a lawsuit to be filed today [Friday], and as of 1:30 p.m. there has been no suit filed,” Wentrcek said. After Tuesday’s executive session, the city council members will know what Bryan’s response to the suit will be and will be able to better answer questions from the public, Moore said. warn arce o bring about a[ Taiwan, questioned the military ;e and MainlandA:j itely comment, van canceled a ro.y d for next week, a le public and theirl it," said the spoke ondition of anon;: ik the decision will Tvernment-run Xi? n’s recent commer to both sides, t n off his camoufif ‘use offoici jnesday ttiat'iiwE' prepare for a n®' mistaken for a pf Wet ‘n’ wild 01) JAJW 0 M- 0 Taiwan RANDAL FORD • THE BATTALION Water polo campers face off during the championship game Sunday afternoon for the Premier Water Polo Camp at the Student Rec Center Natatorium. The camp began on Wednesday and attracted almost 200 athletes from all over the country. r #mt nu mmji an's Yearbook 2000; ESRI TlieM® 1 Professors collaborate for treatment dge 'en Creek’ N FEE By Sarah Walch THE BATTALION Dr. Jane Welsh of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Dr. Mary Meagher, a professor in the Department of Psychology, have been working on discovering a treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) for the past five years. In 1997, the two were intro duced to one another, and discov- £ red a common interest in the subject and have collaborated in a n equal partnership ever since. They have received many donations to continue their research efforts. the fall of 1997, they received a grant of $25,000 from Texas A&M and in 1999 a grant °f $313,000 from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS), both intended to last four years. In April, they received another grant of $1.5 million from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, also for a period of four years MS is caused when the body’s defense system begins to destroy myelin, the substance that sur rounds and insulates nerve fibers. This process is categorized as an auto immune process because it is an abnormal immune response directed against the cen tral nervous system (CNS). Once nerve fibers are exposed, motor failures start to occur, and an indi vidual may experience paralysis. MS is a disease that primarily affects people between the ages of 20 and 50, is predominant in women, and frequently affects those in northern, colder climates, according to the NMSS Web site. Researchers are looking at how stress may affect the immune system’s susceptibility to devel oping an MS-like disease, Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV). Welsh and Meagher are focus ing on how susceptible mice are to being infected with TMEV when under stress. According to the NMSS Web site, three different types of stres sors are being used for testing, and the role of stress hormones is being explored. Meagher said her research foruses on whether clearance of the virus can occur only when the animal is stressed and the immune system suppressed. Initially, it appears that during the early infection process, stress exacerbates the disease by increasing vulnerability and speeding the onset of the disease and development of symptoms, she said. Also, the early acute phase is more severe when the animal is stressed. “Next we will focus on the specific neuromechanisms involved,” Meagher said. If the study eventually con firms these preliminary results, some treatments might include antidepressants and/or teaching coping mechanisms for individ uals who are more likely to be susceptible to the disease, Meagher said. Starbucks store comes to College Station By Lecia Baker THE BATTALION As cafes become a popular venue for exas A&M students for morning coffee cravings and an appealing study and social environment, a Starbucks retail store is open- 'ng in College Station to give residents more c oices when choosing a coffee shop. Aik aines & Noble Bookstore and bertson’s currently have a Starbucks 'nside the stores, but Starbucks will soon °P en a bigger store at the new Wolfpen opping center at Texas Avenue and bolleman. p The construction project manager, th^p 011 ^' arr °ll’ sa 'd Starbucks will occupy e ar East section on the south strip of the aza - He said they preferred to be located on Texas Avenue and near the University, a high traffic venue. "Preston expects the store to be completed in early October and open in late November or early December. Nancy Kane, marketing manager at Starbucks, said the company spends a lot of time listening to its customers and customer requests assist them in opening new stores and they have received many requests from College Station. “We are very excited about opening our first store in the city,” Kane said. “The com pany hopes that Texas A&M students will Take advantage of the in-store experience for studying, hanging out and enjoying a great cup of coffee.” . „ The 1,500 square foot location will fea ture upholstered furniture and cafe tables New students voice mixed feelings on fees By Melissa McKeon THE BATTALION In March 2002, The Board of Regents approved two new fees and increased two existing fees that will affect only new students. New students enrolling at Texas A&M for the first time or students who have previously received a degree and have enrolled in a program for a new degree or program level for the first time after Spring 2002 will have to pay $30.00 more per semester credit hour. The fees will be assessed beginning Fall 2002. This amount will go towards paying for things like computer access fees, library fees and advising fees, said William Krumm, vice president for finance. “Students readmitted at the same degree level (bachelor, master, Ph.D.) of their previous studies do not pay the enhance ment fees. Students admitted to a difterent degree or program level do pay the enhancement fee,” Krumm said. Maggie Wilson, an incoming freshman biology major, feels all students should be required to pay the fees. See Fees on page 2 FEE INCREASEH EFFECTIVE FALL 2002 $30 per credit hour increase only affects new students adjustments to lab and course fees will go toward paying: - computer access fees - library fees - advising fees $ 8 million will be produced from new fees • Bowen committed 10% to Financial Aid MANDY ROUQUETTE • THE BATTALION New PTTS director excited about A&M and chairs inside to seat 16, as well as out door patio seating with shading umbrellas to seat 18. With coffee shops such as Sweet Eugenes unique to College Station, the new Starbucks will be a welcome variation when choosing a place to study or relax. “I enjoy the atmosphere and drinks at a coffee shop which I study at,” said senior computer engineering major Marc Mojica. “A new Starbucks will help to provide more choice.” Starbucks launched its first store in Seattle in 1971. Since then, the company has become very successful in the stock world and has its own in-house music pro gram. Starbucks takes part in a variety of charitable events as well as hosting events for the community. By Cara Garcia THE BATTALION Rod Weis will be joining Texas A&M as the new Parking, Traffic and Transportation Services (PTTS) director this September. Hailing from the Georgia Institute of Technology, the new director looks forward to his move to College Station. “A&M’s reputation drew me to [applying for this position],” Weis said. “Professionally, the terms of the size of operations and number of employees inter ested me. I will also have the opportunity to see if I can imple ment changes as I have at Georgia Tech and how they work on a bigger model. “On a personal level, [my family was] interested in coming here, especially since my wife and I were bom and raised on a farm in Iowa... We’ll welcome the change from the metropoli tan Atlanta - I guess we’re coun try folk.” Weis will be taking over from interim director of PTTS Bobby Bisor. Bisor, assistant vice president of administration, temporarily filled the position after former PTTS director Tom Williams transferred to a director position within the Department of the Vice President of Administration in Fall 2001. A search committee was fonned late in the spring semes ter to assist the selection process. Faculty, staff and student repre sentatives, including Student Services Chair Daniel Pearson, comprised the committee. Pearson said the committee narrowed down the candidate pool to three finalists, all of whom visited the campus between mid to late June for interviews. Once on campus, all candi dates met with a range of stu dents, faculty and staff through open question and answer ses sions. “Any student could come and talk to candidates and ask any questions,” Pearson said. “Such as how they feel about students or how they would theoretically address particular problems. Additionally, the new director See Weis on page 2
