PtteattcutcsA 3e*UeHd> • 9 9 OF BRAZOS VALLEY YOU COULD HAVE AN STD AND NOT KNOW IT! IF YOU'RE SEXUALLY ACTIVE YOU ARE AT RISK - EVEN IF YOU ARE USING CONDOMS. STD Testing - Free & Confidential Call our Registered Nurse to make an appointment 695-9193 205 Brentwood, College Station ■ n NOFU’S HAIR STUDIO One, Year Anniversary Special March 22 nd ; FREE Hair Cuts: 10:30 - 5:30 I Z68-OV77 THANK YOU BRAZOS VALLEY! i 0177 * /O-f N. Rosemary Dr. L Bryan, TX 77802 ■ ■■■■■ ■ ■■■■ I Must present ad. Limit 2 people per coupon. . -I Greene Aggieland’s Contact Lons Headquarters Drs. Matt and Mindi Greene ( 94 Therapeutic Optometrists Spring Student; Special I $10 off 1st 2 boxes of contacts* OR 5SO off 1st 2 boxes of specialty lenses* *With contact lens exam Now with TWO convenient locations: Bryan College Station 1121 Briarcrest 404 University Dr (979) 731-1691 (979) 693-3177 *Ask about our FREE LASIK Consultations!* *ALL TAMU PLANS ACCEPTED* u Do you have GREENE EYES?” 2 NE1 Monday, March 22, 2004 THE BATTAlli FISH Wo orpE/M^e, Buti Tou'ftE. OBVIOUSLY] A TSoCtc / You'Re; ^Too 'Cool."/ IP You Ha/vIUiTH US, UUE’LL Have To GEEVc You uP A LITTLE Bit/ 'lo HAT’S bka&JXpfft/ op course IT’S BRAD'/ Xf x Had a NAME LllcE That, ^ 8£ Cool ro0 -V vi R.mm FRoAA Movj om YouR /YA/v\e IS ‘FRobo’ TVf Taken The Liberty of sty Will UoycA VIP Continued from page 1 Though the VIP program is related to A&M’s diversity initiatives as part of Vision 2020, it is not limited to minority students, Ashley said. “We’re trying to combat any negative percep tions of A&M that people may have,” Ashley said. “To do that, we need to bring students to the campus.” Ashley said the VIP program was created with the hope that prospective students who have already been admitted to the University will fall in love with A&M after having had the trip in a small group of fewer than 20 students. “It can make the difference as far as students who are being courted by other institutions or don’t know much about A&M,” McClendon said. A&M President Robert M. Gates said he thinks that the VIP program has great promise. "Our experience shows that if we can get stu dents to campus and let them see it and experi ence the friendly atmosphere here, the likelihood they will enroll here is significantly increased,” Gates said. “The entire admissions office has worked very hard, and we are seeing noteworthy increases in the number of applications and admittances of underrepresented students.” Gates said if A&M is successful in getting a substantial number of these underrepresented stu dents to enroll this fall, the University will stop the seven-year decline in the number of these students at A&M and show real growth. “There are many other institutions that can offer the same academic excellence as A&M.” McClendon said. “But there’s something special about A&M. We’re unique because we have a family atmosphere and relationships, and even though we’re large we find a way to shrink the campus.” Addiction Continued from pagel and other drugs simply gels the way of that." Harris said university d cials from around the ni have called her and express interest in imitating Tei A Tech’s program. ; M “1 think because of thelij amount of publicity that col binge drinking is receiving,^ s’ pie are taking notice that aim (j these kids are not just bij drinkers, they’re alcohol Harris said. Investigators Continued from pagel Interior Ministry spokes® who identified himself onh Jose Antonio, told 1 Associated Press. The attacks, three daysi national elections, also ski Europe. Spy chiefs from F® Britain, Germany, Italy j Spain planned to meet in Mad on Monday to review theattii and discuss improving cr» border cooperation. Spanish Prime Minister-ds ignate Jose Luis Rodrigm Zapatero called for “mii greater cooperation betw intelligence services.” In an interview publish Sunday in the daily newspap El Pais, Zapatero also said 1i focal points that produce faite cism and violence” mustii addressed, and ending 4 Israeli-Palestinian conflict! “absolutely necessary." He repeated that Spaui l ,300 troops in Iraq wouldl w ithdrawn by June 30 tuiifl the United Nations takes cot trol of Iraq’s occupation.Asia if he thought whether the 0 could meet Spain’s deadliu Zapatero responded, “i impression is yes.” Suspicion for the Madd bombings has centered on Moroccan extremist group sai to be linked to al-Qaida, rtt carried out the Sept. II, 2W! attacks on the United States, In a videotape, a man clafi? to speak on behalf of al-Qa said the group carried oat I attack in reprisal forSpamstaf ing of the U.S.-led war in Ira), coo I age. reac mo\ bittc I true gam the Wot Wot l ilyf lour off alw; ally alwt V of Cl mon mea peo[ F fars to OVER $ 30,000 WON WEEKLY 1805 Briarcrest, Bryan 979-776-0999 OPEN TUESDAY THRU SUNDAY Ag Appreciation Nights on Wed & Thurs Nights: 6:00 & 8:00 • New times for 2004 • Open Tuesday thru Sunday, 6:00 & 8:00 • 1/2 price paper • $ 10.00 1/2 price Bingo Magic Machines • BYOB • *2500 package prize each session LARGE NON-SMOKING ROOM Great Food • Security • Pull Tables and Much More! S “ %“ y bvcasa Church St. Joseph Catholic School higher DAT/OAT score guaranteed or your money back Attend all required classes or make-up sessions, complete all scheduled tests, and do your homework. If your score doesn’t improve on test day from your Kaplan diagnostic or a prior official test score, you can choose to repeat our program for free or get a full refund of your tuition.** It’s that simple. Classes are starting now. Enroll today! Class starts March 25th KAPLAN *Test names are registered trademark of their respective owners. ** Conditions and restrictions apply. For complete guarantee eligibility requirements, visit kaptest.com/hsg Test Prep and Admissions 1 -800-KAP-TEST kaptest.com National PAC gave money to House candidate By Suzanne Gamboa THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON — U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s national fund-raising committee contributed to 15 Texas legisla tive candidates whose campaign finances are under a state criminal investigation because of possible improper contributions during the 2002 election. While Delay’s national fund-raising committee is not the focus of the investiga tion, he helped found the probe’s target, Texans for a Republican Majority, and records obtained by The Associated Press show the breadth of his influence in provid ing financial support to Republican candi dates in Texas. Americans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee made contribu tions totaling $24,000 to the candidates in 2002. The checks sent to them bear DeLay’s name and title as the PAC’s chairman and were dated Oct. 22, 2002, according to records obtained by The Associated Press and filed with the Federal Election Commission. DeLay and his aide Jim Ellis helped start a separate PAC, Texans for a Republican Majority, in 2001 with $75,000 from Americans for a Republican Majority. The state PAC is under investigation for alleged ly using corporate money to influence the 2002 races, which would be illegal under Texas law. Some of the donors to each PAC overlap and Ellis is a paid adviser to Texans for a Republican Majority as well as executive director of DeLay’s national political com mittee. DeLay served on the Texas group’s advisory board, which decided whom the Texas group should endorse. Federal fund-raising committees like DeLay’s often contribute to state races, which is allowable under the law. Democrats and watchdog groups say the contributions underscore the coordination between DeLay and the PACs to elect a Republican majority in the Texas Legislature in 2002 — the first time since Reconstruction that the GOP controlled the Texas House. Those legislators went on to shape how congressional voting districts were redrawn in Texas last year, giving Republicans a bet ter chance in the 2004 elections at winning the majority in the state’s 16-16 congres sional delegation. If the strategy pays off in November, Texas will have the largest GOP congressional delegation in the country. “When you see those patterns of contnti tions, it really raises questions of whethen not there’s been some sort of coordinate said Larry Noble, executive director of i Center for Responsive Politics, a cantpai! finance watchdog group in Washington. But an attorney for the Republic! said the critics are making toomuchofi contributions. “It is not surprising that ARMPAC* giving money to the same races that.TK PAC was. It was easy to identify what at were winnable, what races they were suppfl ing." said Terry Scarborough, an Austinai ney representing Bill Ceverha, treasurer! the Texas political fund raising committee “I think the conspiracy theorists aretiyi to make more out of this than there is.lesJ Craig McDonald, executive director Texans for Public Justice, a political wall dog group, said while the relationshipofi two PACs is well known, the contribii “show the degree to which Tom Delay* intimately involved in moving corpoil money into the Texas elections.” Records of Americans for a Repubi Majority were subpoenaed by TravisCs District Attorney Ronnie Earle as part of investigation. The grand jury is hearings timony in the case to determine whether! charges are warranted. So far, nooneli been accused of any wrongdoing. Checks distributed to the Housecaa dates were accompanied by a letter wrii on stationery from Texans fof Republican Majority. When you see those patterns of contributions, it really raises questions of whether or not there's been some sort of coordination. — Larry Noble Center for Responsive Politics executive director m # _ HstihiSyoup " *iPSti time? we'll pay you $50 to travel abroad!* >travel through Europe for as little as $75 a day! See the world your way >receive $50 cash back when you book by March 31! 7/TRAVEL CUTS 800-592-cuTs (2887) www.travelcuts.com *call for details europe australla new Zealand america Canada The Battalion Elizabeth N. Webb, Editor in Chief Thc Battalion (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the (all and splits# tens and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and rampetf ! Texas A&M University. Periodicals Postage Paid at College Station, TX 77840. POSTMASTER:Send# changes to The Battalion, Texas A&M University, 1111 TAMU, College Station,TX 77843-1111. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of$!^ Media, a unit of the Department of Journalism. News offices are in 014 Reed McDonald Building,IW phone: 845-3313; Fax: 845-2647; E-mail: news@thebattalion.net; Web site: http://www.tliebattalM.rd Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The BattalionM pus, local, and national display advertising, call 845-2696. For classified advertising, call 845-(MkW>jj offices are in 015 Reed McDonald, and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fait8$'" Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a singfe®' The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies 254. Mail subscriptions are $60 per school year,$30W* or spring semester, $17.50 for the summer or $10 a month. To charge by Visa, MasteiCaid, W 1 * American Express, call 845-2611.