p j ^ Monday, April 19, 2004
The Battalion
OPINION:
Is Hubble
history?
Volume 110 • Issue 131 • 14 pages
An Evening With Maya Angelou I 1
4:30 p.m.
Friday, April 23
Rudder Auditorium
Doors open at 4 p.m
Admission is free
J
No tickets are required for the event
For more information, call the Memo-
Student Center at 845-1515
GRACIE ARENAS • THE BATTALION
SOURCE : MEMORIAL STUDENT CENTER DIVERSITY
A Texas A&M Tradition Since 1893
Page 5B
www.thebatt.com
PAGE DESIGN BY: LAUREN ROUSE
Angelou to spend ‘evening’ with A&M
By Aerin Toussaint
THE BATTALION
I
Maya Angelou’s works have a general appeal
to college students because her writing style
draws readers in, said Jeff Stumpo, a graduate
student in English and the founder of Javashock.
“The best authors are not completely con
crete,” Stumpo said. “They don’t just lay all the
facts out there.”
Angelou will speak about her past experiences
and talk about some of her works Friday at
Rudder Auditorium as part of “An Evening with
Maya Angelou.” Doors will open at 4 p.m. and
Angelou will present at 4:30 p.m.
The event is free and seats are available on a
first-come, first-served basis, Stumpo said.
MSC Diversity, a part of Memorial Student
Center Council that is committed to promoting
diversity through programming, is responsible
for bringing Angelou to A&M, said Leviathan
Winn, a sophomore accounting major and direc
tor of “An Evening with Maya Angelou.”
“We feel that with our diversity initiatives here
at A&M she will help people understand and
appreciate the differences in others,” Winn said.
“You can’t claim to have diversity unless you
have a wide array of perspectives on different
issues on your campus.”
Angelou is an educator, historian, best-selling
author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist,
producer and director. She has received honorary
doctorate degrees from several universities, and
became the second poet in U.S. history to have
the honor of reciting original work at a presiden
tial inauguration when she spoke at former
President Bill Clinton’s inauguration ceremony in
January 1993, Winn said.
“She brings a very unique oral and written
communication style to a broad audience,” Winn
said. “We hope students will come hear her speak.”
Angelou was originally scheduled to visit
A&M on Feb. 28, but inclement weather forced
her to cancel her appearance, said Luke Altendorf,
senior associate director of the MSC Diversity.
Angelou is one of the most famous black
authors and humanitarians, Altendorf said. She is
most well-known for the literary and film works
she has done.
!rw
r eek aimed to create
ampus ‘UniDiversity’
By Elizabeth Knapp
THE BATTALION
(tea
KJ,
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Diversity on Texas A&M’s campus
__J1 not happen all at once, said Yakut
|y iazi, founder of the International
J iraduate Student Association.
“If there is going to be a change at
\&M, it is going to happen now,” Gazi
aid. “We have to work together to Cre
te an environment where everyone
espects each other.”
The pursuit of that change begins
^ donday win UniDiversity Week,
leared at promoting diversity on cam-
>us, the week will feature many events
nduding movies, discussions, concerts
poetry readings to aid students in the
jplf :reation of a more diverse environment.
This year is the first time a full week is
King devoted to diversity on campus,
ast year, only a day of different activi-
ieswas held, Gazi said.
“Based on experience that we got
font UniDiversity Day, we tried to target
tudents and create events that would pull
tudents in,” Gazi said. “With a week, if
lomebody can't make it one day, they can
ake it the next.”
UniDiversity Week’s host, the IGSA,
s the first non-departmental organiza-
ion on the graduate student council that
Hows international students to have a
voice, Gazi said.
“We figure that if groups go separate
ly, nothing will change, so we got togeth
er and formed IGSA,” Gazi said.
The week will kick off with a presen
tation by James Anderson, vice president
and associate provost for institutional
assessment and diversity, at a reception
Monday at 4 p.m. in the Faculty Club and
will conclude on Saturday with a
UniDiversity Day celebration.
“Events such as the UniDiversity
Week bring us closer together as one big
Aggie family,” said Julio Jana, president
of the International Student Association.
“It strives for a more welcoming and
diverse campus for all.”
Chris Moore, a senior political sci
ence major and president of the German
Club, said anything to promote different
types of culture is beneficial.
“Diversity in all aspects is a very
important component of growing to
more understand the world around us,
and I feel a little disheartened that A&M
does not have a more diverse student
body,” Moore said. “I think a lot of peo
ple are missing out.”
oard of Regents begin
search for new chancellor
By Sonia Moghe
THE BATTALION
Lowry Mays, chairman of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents,
mnounced in a teleconference Friday that the board will begin an immediate search to
111 the position of system chancellor.
“I ask each of you (regents) to be available,” Mays said. “It is extremely important
hat we find someone to fill the position before the next legislative proceeding.”
Benton Cocanougher, former dean of the Lowry Mays Business School, is cur-
bntly serving as the interim chancellor after Howard Graves, chancellor of four years,
ptired in September 2003 and died of cancer shortly thereafter.
Cocanougher was not in attendance at Friday’s meeting and, when contacted, he
aid would not make any comments regarding the search or if he was going to pur-
jue the position.
Mays said the regents want to complete the search by the beginning of 2005.
J Other university systems, such as the University of Texas System Board of
Regents, have hired independent consulting firms to aid in the search for their
chancellors.
The search committee will be made up of all nine members of the Board, said Bob
Tight, director of communications for the system.
Whoopstock ‘04
Genafe' Martinez, a senior education major, danced as
Ballet Folklorico Celestial showcased traditional
Mexican dancing at Whoopstock Festival held at
JP BEATO III • THE BATTALION
Simpson Drill Field on Saturday. Ballet Folklorico
Celestial will present "Fiesta Mexicana" at Rudder
Theater on May 1 at 6 p.m.
Parents’ Weekend 2004 deemed
‘great experience’ by families
By Jason Hanselka
THE BATTALION
Sunshine and camaraderie inundated the Texas A&M
campus this weekend as thousands of students and their
parents participated in Parents’ Weekend 2004.
“It’s great to see all the parents come together and
help out the University,” said Susan Bayliss, Orange
County Texas Aggie Moms’ Club member. “They’re
helping out not just their Aggies, but all Aggies.”
Bayliss, whose son and daughter currently attend
A&M, said she enjoys participating in Parents’ Weekend.
“It’s a great experience, especially for us parents,”
Bayliss said. “They (students) make us feel welcome
and a part of things.”
Created in 1919, Parents’ Weekend was originally
an open house for mothers who worried about their
sons at school and wanted to help them through their
underclassman years. Formerly it has been called
Mother’s Day, Mother and Dad’s Day, Parent
Appreciation and Open House.
Highlights of Parents’ Weekend included the Aggie
Moms’ Boutique, Midnight Yell Practice, Bevo Burn
Barbecue, Aggie baseball and the Maroon and White
football game.
Dennis Zuehlke said he and his wife enjoyed attend
ing Midnight Yell Practice with their daughter Alycia, a
junior agricultural journalism major.
See Parents on page 2A
Online Weekly Poll
I
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48% CU School work
‘17% dj Financial matters
'16% Q Your future
7%d Relationships
6% §§§ Reality shows
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1% I | Your car
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Take this poll at: www.thebatt.com
GRACIE ARENAS • THE BATTALION
First Yell to feature Bill Cosby
First Yell 2004
featuring comedian Bill Cosby
By Carrie Pierce
THE BATTALION
Comedian and actor Bill Cosby’s
performances bridge the gap between
students and former students of Texas
A&M, making him
one of the funniest
comedians of all
time, said Ryan
Bishop, junior busi
ness major and head yell leader-elect.
Cosby will perform at A&M Sept.
10 as part of the 6th annual First Yell.
First Yell, a weekend of entertainment
and football, which started in 1999,
has featured comedians such as Bill
Engvall, Jeff Foxworthy, Mark Curry
and Martin Short, along with local stu-
deht performers.
The show is held at Reed Arena the
Friday night before the first yell prac
tice at Kyle Field. A&M’s First Yell is
the single biggest entertainment and
comedy event of its type on a college
campus, Bishop said.
“The purpose was
to have an event that
goes around the first
home football game
to welcome the new students/and old
students back for the new school
year,” said Rusty Thompson, yell
leader adviser.
This year, First Yell will coincide
See Cosby on page 2A
GRACIE ARENAS • THE BATTALION
SOURCE : HTTP://YELL.TAMU.EDU