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THE BATTAIN)) Aggielife: Around the World • Page 3A Sci/Tech: Getting TAGD • Page 6A TUT? P A TT A T TniVT Irlr, KAl lALlUiN Volume 110 • Issue 25 • 16 pages ' • THE BATTALION steer before class A Texas A<§A4 Tradition Since 1893 www.thebattalion.net Gates focuses on change at Academic Convocation mdinj ajority Leader Tom sugar Land, said ynicism is disingen- exit strategy is the i of Iraq,” he said nate side, lawmak- isidering providing ebuilding moneyas q eventually would /. Sen. Kay Bailey LTexas, had been circulating that idea among col- I e agues. Hutchison, who was in Iraq when the United headquarters bombed, wants to Find a way to s /iate the costs for American taxpay- ;rs. But Sen. Tornyn, R-Texas, ;aid since il ready has )n debt to other United States first in line for terested in doing ;ould to save the xpayer money, who also visited would be penny d foolish to trytt ory guarantee (ol ent) and it has the •pardize the seen- >ps and efforts to oon as possible." has passed the r spending bill in fhe House is e it up in coming By Dan Orth THE BATTALION Texas A&M President Robert M. Gates focused on change for A&M in his State of the University address yester day during the Academic Convocation in Rudder Auditorium. Gates said change was nec essary for A&M to achieve Vision 2020, a plan to make A&M one of the top 10 public universities in the United States by the year 2020. “A new era has begun at Texas A&M,” Gates said when he began talking about his plans for the future of the University. Gates named his top four priorities for reaching the goal of Vision 2020, including increasing faculty, improving student programs, increasing diversity and expanding build ings. He said increasing faculty is his top priority and laid out i on how to fund this, including reallocating funds and increasing tuition. A&M plans to hire 447 new professors, with engineering and the sciences receiving the most new faculty. With states reducing uni versity funds, Gates said hir- faculty goes against the a/mf trend. “While others are hitting the brakes, we hit the accelerator,” Citing salary differences between A&M and other uni versities, Gates said he is con cerned about keeping top facul ty and has improved pay to keep them from leaving. Improving student pro grams is another priority for Gates. He said he plans to do this through a major expan sion of the honors program, increasing student leadership programs and linking students to A&M’s unique “other edu cation.” Gates said greater diversity is necessary for A&M to reach excellence. He said A&M needs See Academic on page 2A Joshua Hobson • THE BATTALION Faculty march in full regalia from Cushing Library to the Academic Convocation in Rudder Auditorium on Wednesday. Left: Student Body President Matt Josefy and Dean of Liberal Arts Charles Johnson listen as University President Robert M. Gates lays out his plan for Texas A&M this year. Joshua Hobson • THE BATTALION Ml leaders encourage arch yell attendance THIS!!! Sports Bar 6-2240 Hide Road » OFF! By Joaquin Salcedo THE BATTALION Yell practice for this week’s football game against Texas Tech University will be held Thursday at 7 p.m. in front of ihe Quadrangle’s arches on the Texas A&M campus. Many students and guests reg ularly attend the traditional Midnight Yell Practices on Fridays before the game, but fewer show up to away game yell practices, also known as “arch Is.” Yell leaders said they have :n trying to promote away !&ame yell practices in hopes that will support the football when they play outside of Kyle Field. “It’s a neat way to get really excited, even though the game isn’t here,” said head yell leader Tim Bailey. “I would really love for the residence halls and dif ferent organizations from around campus to come out.” Away game yell practices are held in front of the arches on the Quad. In an attempt to draw more attention to this tradition, Bailey said they may be held in different locations around cam pus throughout the year. “It’s a different environment, but it’s fun,” he said. Bailey said attendance at arch yells is low because stu dents are unaware of them. “Typically it’s just the Corps (of Cadets),” he said. Sophomore Benton Hodges said he was unaware of the away game yells and had never attended one. Away Game Yell Practices Yell practice will be held at 7 p.m. on the Quad the Thursday before A&M plays each of the following schools. Texas Tech University University of Nebraska Oklahoma University University of Missouri Oct. 2 Oct. 16 Nov. 6 Nov. 13 ”1 usually do stuff with my dorm, and they’ve never made the initiative to go,” Hodges said. Bailey said yell leaders remain positive about arch yells despite a smaller turnout than tra ditional Midnight Yell Practices. “The point is we’re all com ing together and getting ready to Andrew Burleson • THE BATTALION Source: Texas A&M yell leaders beat the hell outta whatever team we play next,” said junior yell leader Ryan Bishop. Yell leaders said they hope to have a good student turnout at tonight’s yell practice. “It’s a smaller crowd than Midnight Yell, which is some thing we’re trying to work on,” Bailey said. Thursday, October 2, 2003 Joshua Hobson • THE BATTALION Former President George Bush shakes hands with former Chancellor Helmut Kohl Wednesday afternoon in the George Bush Conference Center rotunda. Kohl acknowledged for public service By Sonia Moghe THE BATTALION Dr. Helmut Kohl, former Chancellor of Germany, shared experiences from his tenure at the George Bush Library and Museum Wednesday in acceptance of the George Bush Award for Excellence in Public Service. He received the award based on the contributions he made to the Federal Republic of Germany — specifically the manner in which he helped bring the Cold War to a peace ful conclusion. Texas A&M President Robert M. Gates spoke briefly preceding the presentation of the award. He welcomed both Kohl and former U.S. President George Bush to the University. He also recognized former A&M Chancellor Howard Graves, who died in September. Bush presented the award and spoke not only of Kohl’s accom plishments during his 16-year rule in Germany — the longest in mod em German history — but also of his personal relationship with and reverence for Kohl. “It was a personal privilege to work with Dr. Kohl. As the tide of history turned against tyranny, we had the right man,” Bush said. “Few leaders did more to advance the course of human history.” Kohl and Bush worked together to resolve issues facing Germany during the Cold War. Kohl oversaw the Gennan reunification from 1989 to 1990 that included such events as the fall of the Berlin Wall. He was succeeded by current Chancellor Gerhard Schroder in 1998. Kohl commended the United States and Bush for all of their help both during the Cold War and at the end of World War II. He gave a personal account of post World War II days and com mended the United States’ Marshall Plan and airlifts conducted after the war. “The fact that Germany did get on its feet again is something we owe to the American people,” Kohl said. Kohl also praised the University for its high standing in America and directed much of his speech toward the students. “It is better to receive this award here than at the White House,” Kohl said. “To receive it in a place where there are young people, the people of tomorrow.” When speaking about terrorism. Kohl offered support on behalf of Gennany saying that both America and Germany should master the challenge together. “It’s unacceptable to leave America alone — this is a joint task,” Kohl said. “What is the essence of the Gennan-American friendship is still there today.” Kohl was optimistic that the European Union would become solid. He said the representatives come from countries that were once at war See Kohl on page 2 RHA alters rules, outlines vision By C.E. Walters THE BATTALION The Residence Hall Association General Assembly met last night and unanimous ly approved multiple amend ments to its constitution. RHA President Chris Mahaffey presented his RHA vision plan, which included plans to boost RHA’s presence on campus and improve RHA’s communication and profes sionalism. Transportation Services Director Rodney Weis present ed proposed transportation changes regarding the Southside garage and move-in. on campus. Weis said he aims to keep the discussion process open and stay available to students. Associate Vice President for Administration Mary Miller presented the campus master plan, a design to improve the physical layout of the campus. Miller said the land A&M has on the Main Campus and West Campus will be suitable for 50 years’ worth of development. Senate negotiators hammer out redistricting compromise By Natalie Gott THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AUSTIN — Trying to pressure House mem- pSto work with them, Senate negotiators working on redistricting Wednesday presented what they was a solution to a dispute over how to draw West Texas congressional districts. Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick of Midland said he had not seen the proposal but nis spokesman said he did not think Craddick would like it. The move signaled growing tension in an ongo- ; fight, first between Democrats and Republicans but now among the GOP, over redrawing the dis tricts, especially in West Texas. The map presented by Sens. Todd Staples, R- Palestine, and Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, is one :ion for ending the West Texas dispute. The plan would pair the cities of Midland and Abilene in one district that would stretch from Loving County on the New Mexico border to Bandera County to the south and up to Erath County. Another district would pair San Angelo and Lubbock in a district that extends from Parmer County to Tom Green County to Palo Pinto County. “The agricultural community of interest would be tied to the Lubbock district. The oil and gas and ranching communities of interest would be tied to the Abilene, Midland-Odessa district,” Duncan said. “This is a reasonable solution to this problem.” Craddick has been pushing for a district that would make his hometown the base for a congres sional seat. The existing map has Lubbock and Midland in a district represented by U.S. Rep. Randy Neugebauer, R-Lubbock. The proposal would mean U.S. Rep. Charles Stenholm, an Abilene Democrat who has resi dences in both the reconfigured districts, Duncan said, would be paired either against Neugebauer or a potential challenger from Midland in the 2004 elections. Duncan said that would make it hard for Stenholm to win either district. Craddick spokesman Bob Richter countered that. “It would be a difficult map for a person from the Permian Basin to win,” Richter said. As they unveiled the map, the senators said they wanted to meet Republican Gov. Rick Perry’s Wednesday deadline for the conference committee of House and Senate members to reach an agreement. Republicans have said if the Legislature does not approve a plan by Monday, lawmakers could have to move back the March 2 primary election date. Perry said it would be better not to postpone the primary, but said it wasn’t the most important issue. “I think what’s more important is to have a process that works where the people of the state can elect their representatives to Congress in lines that have been drawn by the duly elected representa tives. That’s the most important issue,” Perry said. The senators said their West Texas proposal comes from a map by Rep. Arlene Wohlgemuth, a Burleson Republican who is considered to be on Craddick’s leadership team. “How could a top Republican leader offer a compromise on West Texas that the Speaker has rejected?” Staples questioned during the news conference. A Wohlgemuth aide said there are differences between the senators’ proposal and the map Wohlgemuth offered. Aide Erica Phillips also said the Wolgemuth plan was her proposal, not that of the House leadership. Craddick also sought to distance himself from the map, saying Wohlgemuth is not a member of the redistricting committee and did not speak for him in drawing her map. The GOP has been trying to get a redistricting map approved for months, saying voting trends show Texas should have more Republicans in Texas’ congressional delegation, which Democrats now rule 17-15. Democrats want the current lines to stay the same.