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oliimc I 10 • Issue l(»: • H s
V levas ViMfM TnidHiou Since l4S 4 )4
OPINION:
Defining
feminsists
Page 7
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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
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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
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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