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Volume 109 • Issue 184 • 6 pages
Brown, Hagler to speak at commencement
109 Years Serving Texas A&M University
www.thebatt.com
Monday, August 11, 2003
By Jacquelyn Spruce
THE BATTALION
Two highly respected men of the
Aggie family, Rep. Fred Brown and
lonl. Hagler, will speak at the com
mencement ceremonies Friday at
Reed Arena, said Lane Stephenson,
deputy director of the office of
University Relations.
Stephenson said both men have
actively helped provide quality serv
ice for Texas A&M for a number
of years.
“Both are highly distinguished,”
Stephenson said. “They have repeat
edly demonstrated a love for
Texas A&M.”
Brown represents District 14 of
the Legislature, which includes
Bryan-College Station. He attended
A&M and has maintained strong ties
to the University, Stephenson said.
“He works very closely with
A&M and legislative matters,”
Stephenson said.
Kris Reyes, Brown’s legislative
director, said Brown plans to give an
inspiring speech for graduate stu
dents in the George Bush School of
Government and Public Service, as
well as graduates in the colleges of
agriculture and life sciences, liberal
arts and veterinary medicine at 9
a.m. Friday.
“He plans to share some of his
experiences in life, both professional
ly and personally,” Reyes said.
Hagler co-chaired A&M’s Vision
2020 project and has displayed his
dedication to the University by par
ticipating in various leadership
positions.
Hagler graduated from A&M in
1958 and has received the
“Distinguished Alumni” award.
Recently, he was named trustee emer
itus of the Texas A&M Foundation.
Hagler will speak to the gradu
ates in the colleges of architecture,
business, education and human
development, engineering, geo
sciences and science at the 2 p.m.
ceremony Friday.
Stephenson said the process of
choosing speakers for each com
mencement is detailed and begins
with suggestions from the Aggie
family.
“Suggestions are then evaluated,”
Stephenson said. “Ultimately, the
president and his office make the
final decision.”
Reyes said Brown looks forward
to speaking to the graduates and is
anxious to share his experiences. He
said much of what Brown has learned
throughout his life can be attributed
to his community involvement.
RUBEN DELUNA • THE BATTALION
See Speakers on page 2 source: university relations
August commencement at Reed Arena
n
• Represents District 14, which includes
Bryan-College Station
• Attended Texas A&M
• Will speak Friday, Aug. 15, 9 a.m.
Jon L Hagler
• Co-chaired Vision 2020
• Texas A&M, Class of 1958
• Will speak Friday, Aug. 15, 2 p.m.
VP Southerland
By Jodi Rogers
THE battalion
T exas A&M Vice President for
Student Affairs J. Malon
Southerland calls his 36-year
career at A&M “remarkable.”
Southerland, who graduated from
A&M in 1965, will retire at the end of
the month.
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“My experiences have been
remarkable, from the highest highs to
Ihe lowest lows,” Southerland said.
“And the appreciation that 1 have for
the quality of young people that par
ents have helped come to Texas A&M
is off the map because what they can
do is off the map.”
Southerland said he got to know
thousands of students through the 16
different positions he has held at
A&M.
Southerland doesn’t have a replace
ment, but will be here to assist when
one is chosen.
“When the decision was made to
not fill my position after the first set
of interviews, (A&M) president
(Robert M. Gates) offered the interim
V.P. job to one of my associates,” he
said. “At that point it was simple.
Whenever somebody was selected, it
was my intention at the right moment
during the summer, to come to our
development office.”
Southerland said he feels the time
is appropriate to retire.
“The key reason is the opportunity
that I’ve had to interact with the high
est quality of young person that we
have in this country; it’s been elite,”
he said.
Southerland quoted the saying,
“You never know what a student
hears.” He said this presented him
with an opportunity to speak to untold
See Southerland on page 2
True tradition
retires after 36 years of leadership by example
RANDAL FORD • THE BATTALION
Vice President of Student Affairs J. Malon Southerland retires from his post at the end of August.
Liberia dictator
to step down
By Glenn McKenzie &
Ellen Knickmeyer
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MONROVIA, Liberia — President Charles
Taylor delivered a farewell address Sunday to a
nation bloodied by 14 years of war, declaring him
self “the sacrificial lamb” to end what he said was
a U.S.-backed rebel war against his besieged
regime.
Taylor, sitting solemnly with folded hands,
recorded the address in front of a Liberian flag at
his home, for broadcast on the evening before he
was to hand power to Vice President Moses Blah
at one minute before noon (7:59 a.m. EDT) on
Monday.
“I do not stop out of fear. I do not stop out of
fright. I stop out of love for you, my people,”
Taylor declared, adding, “I fought for you.”
He accused the United States of arming
Liberia’s rebels, calling it an “American war” and
suggesting it was motivated by U.S. eagerness for
Liberia’s gold, diamonds and other reserves.
In Washington, a senior Bush administration
official said he wasn’t aware of a claim by Taylor
about the United States and the rebels in Liberia,
but that it would be false to claim the United States
was arming or funding rebels.
Speaking slowly, with a raspy voice, the
Liberian leader declared: “I love this country very
much. This is why I have decided to sacrifice my
See Liberia on page 2
Taylor bids farewell to wartorn Liberia
Liberian President Charles Taylor told his wartorn nation that he
would step down from power to stop the bloodshed. The address
was his first formal word that he would hand over power. The
resignation ceremony is Monday.
Profile
► Taylor, 54, was
born in Liberia
and earned an
economics
degree from
Bentley College in
Waltham. Mass,
in the 1970’s.
Taylor
► Returned to Liberia after the
1979 regime change and took
a job as head of the General
Services Administration there.
► After embezzling $1 million,
he escaped to the United States
and later was jailed in Boston.
► He escaped from jail and fled
to Libya where he became a
revolutionary under Moammar
Gadhafi's regime.
► Respected in Liberia as the
country's strongest war lord, he
won the presidency in 1997.
► He was indicted for war crimes
June 4, 2003 for his involvement
in Sierra Leone civil war,
promised to leave Liberia.
► After rebel fighting in Monrovia
and pressure from West African
leaders, Taylor promised Aug.
2 to cede power.
► In an address, Taylor says he
will transfer power to Vice
President Moses Blah.
SOURCE: Associated Press
AP
Just passin’ through
SHARON AESCHBACH • THE BATTALION
Graduate Student Council President Josh Peschel (left) and former GSC member
Darren Pierson stroll toward the pedestrian passageway Thursday. The passageway,
connecting West Campus to the main campus under Wellborn Road, officially opens
today. A sno cone stand is expected to be opened under the passageway, which is
composed of 250,000 bricks and cost $13 million to construct.
The Battalion will resume publication on Wednesday, Aug. 27.
Boy dies as shelling intensifies in Israel
By Gavin Rabinowitz
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SHLOMI, Israel —
Israeli warplanes attacked
suspected Hezbollah posi
tions in southern Lebanon
on Sunday, hours after the
group shelled northern
Israel, killing a 16-year-old
and wounding five others,
including an infant.
The boy was the first
civilian killed in an attack
by the guerrilla group in the
area since Israel pulled out
of southern Lebanon in
May 2000, officials said.
The attacks came amid
an increase in border vio
lence following months of
calm, raising fears of wider
conflict with Syria and
Lebanon. Earlier Sunday,
Israel’s foreign minister
warned those countries to
restrain Hezbollah, or “we
will have no choice but to
defend ourselves.”
Aides to Israeli Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon said,
however, that Israel is try
ing to avoid an escalation
and would try to resolve the
situation through diplomat
ic channels.
Also Sunday, Sharon
told his Cabinet that the
U.S.-backed plan for
Palestinian statehood would
not move ahead until the
Palestinians carry out their
pledge to dismantle militant
groups. The military chief
of staff, Lt. Gen. Moshe
Yaalon, said later that
Palestinian security forces
weren’t doing enough to
stop attacks.
Palestinian legislator
Saeb Erekat said it was
Israel, rather than the
Palestinians, which was
failing to live up to its com
mitments.
The cross-border fight
ing began this month. On
Friday, Hezbollah, a mili
tant Lebanese group backed
by Syria and Iran, fired
artillery toward Israeli bor
der posts, drawing return
fire. It was the first such
exchange in eight months.
Border attacks
escalate
Israeli warplanes attacked
suspected Hezbollah positions
in southern Lebanon after the
group shelled northern Israel,
killing a teenage boy. The attacks
came amid an increase in border
violence after months of caim.
Israeli warplanes
retaliate against
Hezbollah
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SOURCE: Associated Press
The military ■ said the
Israeli aircraft hit Hezbollah
artillery positions from
which the tank shells had
been fired at Shlomi, a
working-class town of
about 6,000 people close to
the border.
Hezbollah said the
shelling was in retaliation
for the Aug. 2 killing of
Hezbollah security official
Ali Hussein Saleh by a
bomb in his car south of
Beirut. Israel refused to
comment on the claim that
it was behind the killing.
The guerrilla group also
fired anti-aircraft shells
Saturday on Kiryat
Shemona, but no injuries
were reported.
On Sunday, 16-year-old
Haviv Dadon was walking
home from a summer job
when he was hit by the anti
tank shell fired on the
northern town of Shlomi.
Five bystanders, including a
woman and her 9-month-
old son, were lightly
injured, hospital officials
said. At the teen’s funeral,
mourners said they felt
abandoned by the govern
ment.
One shell exploded near a
preschool and another hit
near a shopping center, said
the mayor, Gavriel Naaman.
See Israel on page 2