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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2004)
he Battalion oliimc I 10 • Issue l(»: • H s V levas ViMfM TnidHiou Since l4S 4 )4 OPINION: Defining feminsists Page 7 w \\ u.fln’baU I'om PACE DESIGN BY: LAUREN ROUSE shley bids farewell to A&M y Erin Price and Joanna Jemison THE BATTALION [After three “Howdy!” attempts to gain the cfcwd’s attention, Vice Provost Bill Perry said tht farewell ceremony for Frank Ashley III w; 5 officially underway. B“Ihis is a bittersweet time for all of us be :ause we have to bid farewell to Frank,” firry said. “He made a great impact on the University.” (More than 100 people attended the ceremo ny in the J. Wayne Stark Galleries in the Me morial Student Center, not only to say goodbye to Ashley, but also to celebrate his 18 years of ■•vice at Texas A&M. ■Ashley is will be taking on the job as dean of the College of Education and Human Ser- viies at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Hit wife Janice and their two children will accompany him. ■Jim Kracht, associate dean of the College ol Education and Human Development, joked that Ashley’s academic record was full of D’s. “Frank’s D’s consist of being a dance in structor, a darn good cook and a doughnut fan,” Kracht said. “He has a strong attachment to Krispy Kremes.” Janice Ashley said that there is definitely a Krispy Kreme in Commerce and that its busi ness will soon be making more money. Kracht said Ashley made a difference in a big way. He started the sports management de gree at A&M, and the program already has a waiting list for the fall, he said. “Frank implemented several new admis sion programs,” Kracht said. “His goal was to find a student body more reflective of the state of Texas.” Ashley was continually swarmed by well- wishers from all walks of campus life. One presenter, Miles Marks, CEO of the 12th Man Foundation, caught Ashley by complete sur prise by presenting him with the Outstanding 12th Man Award for exemplary service and support of athletics. “Frank has made the sports management program one of the best in the in the country,” Marks said. “He also did a lot with athletic re cruitment.” Ashley, only the fourth person to receive the award, said he was speechless after receiving the honor. “I am totally floored by the award,” Ash ley said. Mark Weichold, dean of undergraduate pro grams and assistant provost, said Ashley was always dedicated to his work, with a positive attitude at work and in life. “Frank was always the one I could count on,” Weichold said. “He made it clear that he cared about his students’ best interests.” Weichold said that not only was Frank great at work, but you could tell that he was a de voted father and husband at home. “The thing that strikes me the most about Frank is his dedication to his family,” Weichold said. Ashley’s son, Frankie, nine, said his Dad is kind and friendly to everyone. He also said that the reception had nice food and drinks. “I’m excited about moving with my Dad,” Frankie said. “It will be fun, just like him.” EVAN O'CONNELL • THE BATTALION Miles Marks, right, executive director and CEO of the 12th Man Foundation, says goodbye to Frank Ashley, left, during Ashley’s farewell party Wednesday afternoon. Ashley was given the 12th Man spirit award by Marks and is only the fourth person to receive the award. Ashley is leaving A&M to become dean of the College of Education and Human Services at A&M-Commerce. Paint by numbers //card inued co for C01$' F Rebekah Gooden, a junior special education major, and Travis C >llins, a senior engineering technology major, put the finishing touches on their abstract paintings in their art class. The stu- BRIAN WILLS • THE BATTALION dents stretched their own canvases on Tuesday and began paint ing their artistic interpretations of topics, ranging from poetry to music, Wednesday. A&M employees honored by USD A By Shawn C. Millender THE BATTALION Two Texas A&M employees were recognized last week at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s prestigious Honor Awards. Ellen Ritter, head of Agricultural Communications for the Texas A&M University System, and Texas Cooperative Extension Com munications Specialist Bill Watson, were recognized for their work on English/Spanish educational projects. “It is through the tireless commitment of USDA employees that we make a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis,” said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman. “The award winners honored today are exemplary in their fields. We applaud their efforts and innovative work.” Ritter is a founding member of RadioSo~urce.net, a bilingual In ternet radio service. “RadioSource.net really was the work of people at several uni versities,” Ritter said. “We decided Internet radio would be the most efficient way to produce radio news in our respective states.” Ritter said a national bilingual resource is an important as set because not every state has the ability to produce Spanish language media. “RadioSource.net, I believe will fold in very nicely to what has become a national cooperative extension system,” Ritter said. He said a national electronic “e-Extension” system is in the works. “We’ve created the building blocks for that,” Ritter said. Watson was lauded for his role in developing Extension en See USDA on page 2 livers -, cyii hec(* teller rides toward ngineering excellence 4 By Natalie Younts THE BATTALION Page Heller can be found rid- his Harley-Davidson Softail uce or singing in his church joir when he’s not patenting d marketing Texas A&M professors’ inventions. JltfWT (like to) jump on my Harley and go take off to iete-thc wilderness,” said Heller, I who earned his master’s in II Uectrical engineering from te 4&M in 1978. ,, pIi BHeller said he loves his job c is the interim executive direc- s or of the A&M Technology Li- ,lie,(tensing Office, where he uses oldtjhe entrepreneurial skills he ■Itivated while owning four feu electronics companies. Heller said he became li- sed as an engineer because first company was an elec- al design company. He also rted two electronic product panics and an electronic nufacturing company. The Texas Society of Profes- nal Engineers named Heller “Js the Young Engineer of the , git ear in 1987. The award is for 3 gfcneers who are 34 years old )r younger and have made ac- plishments that set them rt from their peers, accord- te; to the TSPE. In 1993, Heller shut his busi- pul bet dal nesses down. “I actually burned out,” Hell er said, “I was trying to run two of the businesses at the same time, which was a big mistake because there are not enough hours in the day to do that.” Heller said he found his niche at A&M, where he has patented and marketed vegetables, pro teins used for antibiotics and a fiber optic measuring device. “I still wanted to find some thing where I could use an en trepreneurial skill, so this was the perfect job.” Heller and other previous winners of the TSPE Young Engineer of the Year award were honored June 17 at a ban quet during the society’s annual meeting in San Antonio. “They went through and called out the names of past re cipients and had them stand,” he said. “It was a nice surprise.” Trish Smith, executive direc tor of the TSPE, said that past recipients of the youth award are honored at each annual meeting. The first award was presented in 1970, and the 34th winner, Saul Nuccitelli II of Austin, was announced at the meeting. Young engineers who have won their local chapter’s award See Heller on page 2 Safety first on the Fourth PLAYING IT SAFE In 2002,8,800 people were treated for firework-related injuries. Enthusiasts can prevent injuries by taking simple safety precautions. Q Always have water available Q Light only one firework at a time Q Never make your own fireworks ft Read and follow label directions WILL LLOYD • THE BATTALION Source: BART HUMPHRIES, CS FIRE DEPARTMENT By Natalie Younts THE BATTALION Texas A&M students should attend a professional fireworks display on Indepen dence Day instead of setting off their own, said Bart Humphreys, spokesman for the College Station Fire Department. “It’s going to be much more spectacular than anything you could do yourself and it will be a whole lot safer,” Humphreys said. Possession of fireworks within the city limits and in the 5,000-foot buffer zone out side the city limits is a city ordinance viola tion punishable by a fine of up to $2,000, he said. Students who choose to use fireworks themselves should get the landowner’s per mission and take certain safety precautions, Humphreys said. One precaution is to always have water available. “If you do get a little fire started you can do something about it,” he said. Humphreys said students should never throw fireworks at another person, experi ment or attempt to make their own fire works, light them while holding them or carry them in their pockets. Students should always read and follow the directions on the label and light only one firework at a time, he said. Humphreys said using fireworks in con tainers is dangerous. “People like to put them in a tin can and see if they can blow it up or buy some kind of little rocket and launch it out of a con tainer,” he said. Humphreys said some people think spar klers are fairly safe, but they actually burn at more than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit and can be very dangerous. Lauren Seale, a sophomore education major, said she plans to spend Indepen dence Day at Lake Sam Rayburn in south east Texas swimming, barbecuing, boating, tubing and tanning on the shore. Seale said she will not be shooting off her own fireworks this year. “I don’t want to blow anyone’s head off,” See Fourth on page 2 Turner recognized for leadership efforts in NACE By James Twine THE BATTALION Executive Director of the Texas A&M Career Center Leigh Turner has been award ed the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Excellence Award. “The Excellence Award of the Vision and Future of NACE is an award that recognizes NACE members for their efforts in the es tablishment, development and growth of the NACE,” Associate Editor of NACE, Kevin Gray said. NACE was established in 1956 and has been the leading source of information for career services practitioners for colleges that advise students and alumni in career development and the employment process, and for human resources professionals who recruit and hire college graduates. Turner is a current Chair of NACE’s Prin ciples for Professional Conduct Committee and has served as the executive director of the A&M Career Center since 1991. Martha Boerema, associate executive di rector of the Career Center said employers and University members look to Turner and her committee for knowledgeable, unbiased advisory opinions regarding ethical prac tices in college recruiting. “Under her leadership, this committee has addressed significant professional See NACE on page 2
