, Friday, February 13,2004
The Battalion
10 pages
Texas A&M Tradition Since I8‘)3
Aggielife:
Coordinating
outfits and
bars.
Page 3
www.tliebalt.com
PACE DESIGN BY : EMILY HENDRICKSON
TAMC: Students voices’ can be heard
Art Wricht • THE BATTALION
tor education major Laura Heine inserts a suggestion into the
wly-renovated "Aggie Input" suggestion box in the Memorial
iljent Center Thursday evening.
By Rhiannon Meyers
THE BATTALION
Rickey Davis, a junior construction sci
ence major, said he has always had a problem
with the University’s drainage system, but has
never known who to complain to.
“It doesn’t work, and the sidewalks turn to
gullies,” Davis said. “The only people 1 would
think to ask would be maintenance, but the
drainage system isn't really their problem.”
Christina Bethancourt, chair of Texas
Aggies Making Changes, said concerns such
as Davis’ prompted TAMC to build sugges
tion boxes. TAMC installed the boxes in the
Memorial Student Center last spring to give
students a way to voice their concerns to the
administration.
“Anybody can make suggestions for stuff
on campus or off campus,” Bethancourt said.
“(Suggestions can be about) anything they see
that can be improved or changed. Anybody is
more than welcome to come put their input in.”
Katie McKennon, director of TAMC’s
Aggie Input, said that the organization
received 130 valid suggestions since last fall.
McKennon said the organization enters all
suggestions into a database and then takes the
suggestions to the proper authorities.
“A&M may be an amazing place, but there
is a lot of room for improvement,” McKennon
said. “You may as well have your suggestion
heard, because you are paying enough money
to come here.”
McKennon said that this semester TAMC
decided to renovate the boxes to attract more
attention. Earlier this week, she said, a new box
was unveiled, and students should expect to see
more renovated boxes around campus soon.
“The last (boxes) were a great first-time
effort but overall we needed a facelift,”
McKennon said. “I think the new look will
cause more people to stop by and drop off a
suggestion, and actually have it heard.”
Bethancourt said the new boxes were con
structed by TAMC members and volunteers,
and cost the organization $150 - paid from its
See TAMC on page 2
SGA severs ties with
FCIC due to diversity
By James Twine
THE BATTALION
Die Texas A&M Student Senate sev-
sedties with the Faculty Committed to
in Inclusive Campus (FCIC), due to dif
ferences in race-based admissions ideals.
Tk two organizations had scheduled a
Feb. 18diversity march before they real-
their agenda differences, said
nt Sendees Chair
in Mathews.
Although both organi-
ations support diversity, V. WWW,
the FCIC supports race-
based admissions and SGA opposes race
being a factor in admissions criteria.
Mates said.
1 believe in the admission policy
basedonmerit.” said Sen. Jetl Graham, a
jura business major.
The legislation was a part of the
Itrppurf for Diversity Bill,” an emer
gency legislation bill passed by the
Student Senate during Wednesday night’s
scheduled Senate meeting.
to the bill, “the Student
Association denounces the
agenda of the Faculty
Committed to an Inclusive Campus and
shall not cooperate with that organization
in any way.”
The FCIC takes a different stance on
diversity. The organization's Web site
slates, "We urge (University) President
(Robert M. Gates) to reverse his stated
policy on admissions and consider race
indethnicity as central factors in admis-
sions as well as in recruitment and finan
cial decisions.”
Gates’ admission policy includes indi
vidual achievement, leadership potential
and personal strength, but not race.
As part of its split. SGA will not coop
erate with the FCIC including participat
ing in the Feb. 1X march, Matthew said.
Harris Berger, a member of the FCIC,
said that the FCIC was upset that the SGA
recalled their support of the march.
“(The idea) start
ed out as an informal
discussion.” Berger
said. “Some people
don’t wish to be
involved because of
their standing with the University... but
if something’s going to happen it’s going
to happen.”
“The event that was originally publi
cized was a noble event. Then I discov
ered FCIC’s position on diversity,”
Mathews said. “(The FCIC position)
appeared to he withheld from sponsors.”
The Student Senate has authorized its
diversity team to organize a march of its
own to be called Aggie March for Merit,
beginning at 3:15 p.m. on Feb. IX.
The SGA march supports the admis
sions policy instituted by Gates as well as
the progress it will represent for diversity
at A&M.
Mathews said he was disturbed
because the FCIC withheld information
from SGA and others.
“So many people had united for this
cause, and to now realize that FCIC was
See Senate on page 2
Be mine
John C. Livas • THE BATTALION
Biomedical sciences major Sarah Angermiller searches for roses in preparation for Valentine's Day. Last year, Petal Patch
thornless roses to complete an order for Petal Patch Florist received more than 500 orders on Valentine's Day alone.
Thursday afternoon. Petal Patch ordered 30,000 to 40,000
Gay couples marry
in San Francisco
By Lisa Leff
IHE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN FRANCISCO — In
an open challenge to California
law, city authorities performed
at least 15 same-sex weddings
Thursday and issued about a
dozen more marriage licenses
logayand lesbian couples.
By midafternoon, jubilant
gay couples were lining up
under City Hall’s ornate gold
dome and exchanging vows in
two-minute ceremonies that
followed one after another.
“Today a barrier to true jus-
ice has been removed,” said
Gavin Newsom, newly elected
mayor of the city considered
die capital of gay America.
No state legally sanctions
gay marriage, and it remains
unclear what practical value
the marriage licenses will
be. The weddings violate a
ballot measure California vot-
trs approved in 200() that
defines marriage as a union
between a man and a woman.
The move by San
Francisco’s mayor came as
lawmakers in Massachusetts
continued to debate a constitu
tional amendment to ban gay
marriage in that state, where
die nation’s first legally recog
nized same-sex weddings are
set to take place this spring
under a ruling from the
Massachusetts high court.
The assembly-line nuptials
began with longtime lesbian
activists Phyllis Lyon, 79, and
Del Martin, X3, who were hur
riedly issued a married license
and were wedded just before
noon by City Assessor Mabel
Teng in a closed-door civil cer
emony at City Hall. The two
have been a couple for 51 years.
About 30 couples crowded
outside the San Francisco
County Clerk’s office awaiting
licenses, many arm in arm.
One of the women, wearing a
white wedding dress and veil,
encouraged couples to shout
out their names and how long
they had been together.
“I understand there are
wrinkles that need to be worked
out, but as far as I’m concerned,
we will be married,” said Molly
McKay as she and her partner
of eight years, Davina Kotulski,
stood at the clerk’s counter.
During one of the weddings,
performed before TV cameras,
the vows were rewritten so that
“husband and wife” became
“spouse for life.”
A conservative group
called the Campaign for
California Families called the
marriages a sham.
“These unlawful certificates
are not worth the paper they are
printed on. The renegade mayor
of San Francisco has no author
ity to do this,” said Randy
Thomasson, executive director.
See Marriage on page 2
UPD promotes bike theft prevention
By Pammy Ramji
THE BATTALION
University police urge students to take precautions in protecting
their bikes on campus.
In 2003, a total of 261 bikes were stolen from campus, includ
ing 100 last semester, according to University Police Department
statistics.
“It appears that there are now more bikers than ever,” said Sgt.
Allan Baron of the UPD crime prevention unit. “To prevent bikes
from being stolen, we try to educate the students by letting them
know that bike theft can be a problem, and it’s very important to
secure your bike.”
UPD officers also warn students tt) be aware of the quick-release
tire on newer model bikes.
“Students often lock their bike with a case-hardened lock
through the front tire only, but bike thieves can easily slip the front
wheel off and take the frame,” Baron said.
In 2000, Esteban Irigoyen, 26, an elearical engineering graduate
student, was arrested for stealing bikes. Members of UPD staked out
the Memorial Student Center and Rudder complex, where they placed
two bikes as bait one morning. Irigoyen jumped on the bicycle and
HOW TO PREVENT BIKE THEFT
Engrave your driver license
number on the frame of the bike.
Secure the bike frame and rear
wheel to a bicycle rack.
Use a quality case-hardened steel
U-bolt lock.
Register your bike with Transportation Services.
If your bike is stolen, Immediately report It to the UPD by calling:
845-2345
Ruben DeLuna • THE BATTALION
Source : ST. ALLAN BARON
tried to ride away when two undercover police officers arrested him.
Baron recommends students engrave their driver license number
on the frame of the bike, secure the bike at least through the frame and
rear wheel to a bicycle rack, use a quality case-hardened steel U-bolt
lock and register bikes with Transportation Services to prevent bikes
See Bike on page 2
U.S. commander in Iraq escapes injury
By Robert Burns
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
FALLUJAH, Iraq — Insurgents
launched a bold attack Thursday on an Iraqi
civil defense compound in this volatile city
just as the commander of all U.S. forces in
the Middle East, Gen. John Abizaid, arrived
to visit.
Three explosions ripped through an area
near the compound and a six-minute gun
battle ensued. Abizaid and his party, includ
ing another senior Army commander,
escaped injury and quickly left.
Although soldiers said insurgent attacks
on the compound are not uncommon.
Thursday’s close call suggested the attack
ers may have targeted Abizaid, the four-star
general who runs the war in Iraq — raising
new questions about how much control
Americans have in the region.
It also seemed to underscore that much
work remains before the Iraqis are ready to
handle violence encouraged by shadowy
former members of Saddam Hussein’s gov
ernment as well as foreign terrorists. In
Thursday’s incident, Iraqis initially refused
to go into a mosque to search for the attack
ers, U.S. officials said.
The violence broke out as a U.N. envoy
met with Iraq’s leading Shiite cleric and told
him the world was behind his demand for
national elections. But there was no sign of
agreement on when a vote would be held —
the central issue in Shiite opposition to the
U.S. plan for handing over power to Iraqis
this summer.
The cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-
Husseini al-Sistani, wants elections to create
a provisional legislature that can run the
country, but the United States says there is
not enough time to organize an election
before the deadline for transferring power.
In New York, the spokesman of U.N.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan suggested that
See Iraq on page 2