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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
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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
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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.