JOSHUA HOBSON • THE BATTALION
Utah quarterback Alex Smith looks to connect in
the first quarter during the Utes' 41-21 win over
Texas A&M Thursday at Rtce-Eccles Stadium in Salt
Lake City, Utah Smith threw for 359 yards including
two touchdowns. Smith also scored on a 37-yard
run in the second quarter and rushed for a total of
107 yards. The Aggies' home opener is Saturday,
Sept 11 against the University of Wyoming
PAGE DESIGN BY: LAUREN ROUSE
Same song, second verse
Strong Utah pounds weak Aggies 41-21
By Jordan Meserole
THE BATTALION
The Texas A&M football team
looked like a different team run
ning out on the field Thursday
night in Salt Lake City. It had
new white shoes, new white face
masks and the jerseys had no
names on the back. The mountains
looming in the background were
almost symbolic of the climb the
Aggies were beginning Thursday
to regain respect.
But after being defeated 41-21
by No. 20 University of Utah in
front of a sold-out Utah crowd
and national television audience,
it appears that nothing is differ
ent from last year’s squad and
that the team is still struggling to
climb the first rock of that sym
bolic mountain.
“We made too many mistakes
to beat a good team on the road,”
said A&M head coach Dennis
Franchione. “We had way too
many miscues to ever let us get
any kind of control on the game.”
The first three plays of the
game seemed to have promise
for A&M. A Utah rushing at
tempt was shut down for no gain
and two passes fell incomplete.
The next play wouldn’t be so
promising, though. Utes junior
Alex Smith hit sophomore wide
receiver Steve Savoy on a short
eight-yard slant, who then took
the ball another 70 yards up the
sideline to the end zone. It was
almost reminiscent of last year’s
Sept. 6 game against Utah at Kyle
Field, when A&M senior wide re
ceiver Terrence
Murphy ran 80
yards up the
sideline to score
on the first play
of the game.
“That’s Divi
sion-1 football
for you,” said
A&M freshman
defensive line
man Jason Jack.
“They’ve obvi
ously worked
hard, they’re
good players,
and they did ev
erything right on
that play.”
The Aggie of
fense had just as many problems
as the defense did. After complet
ing his first pass of the game, ju
nior quarterback Reggie McNeal
threw seven consecutive incom
plete passes.
Sophomore running back Court
ney Lewis didn’t look any more
comfortable, only getting 14 total
rushing yards by halftime. The
game was supposed to have spe
cial meaning for A&M’s Murphy,
who only needed two receptions
to become the all-time receptions
leader in school history. Murphy
got his two receptions consecu
tively about halfway through the
second quarter, but the moment
went largely un
noticed.
“We were very
inconsistent, very
up and down,”
Franchione said.
“I’ve seen Reg
gie throw bet
ter; I’ve seen the
guys have better
hands. This will
just be a learning
experience — a
tough one — but
still something to
learn from.”
The Utes looked
strong on every
aspect of the field,
from the first quar
ter to fourth. The
defense constantly broke through
A&M’s offensive line. Sticking Mc
Neal two times and pressuring him
numerous times.
The defense even shut down
an A&M attempt to score in the
end of third quarter, when A&M
was on the 3-yard line facing a
fourth down.
“That’s what we live for as a
See Utah on page 7
We made too
many mistakes to
beat a good team
on the road. We had
way too many mis
cues to ever let us
get any kind of con
trol of the game.
— Dennis Franchione
head football coach
Student fees
increase despite
referendum denial
By Sara Foley
THE BATTALION
Students are paying 29 cents more per credit hour for
the Student Service Fee, despite the Student Service Fee
increase referendum failing to pass during student body
elections last spring.
The Student Service Fee Advisory Board (SSFAB)
recommended the increase to finance $305,762 of
state-mandated salary increases and the reserve funds
to support CARPOOL and the A&M Child Care Cen
ter. In the spring, SSFAB recommended a 65-cent in
crease that surpassed the current state cap on the fee,
requiring a referendum vote that the majority of the
student body voted against.
“We could have raised it to $12.50, and we all deter
mined unanimously that we were going to stick with what
we told the student body from the very beginning. That
was the reason we requested the referendum in the begin
ning, because there are state-mandated salary increases,”
said SSFAB Chairman Jim Carlson.
The Department of Child Services, which in previous
years received grants from the College of Engineering,
the College of Education and federal grants, did not re
ceive any grants this year. With the increase in the Stu
dent Service Fee, the A&M Child Care Center will re
ceive $35,000 for tuition supplement assistance.
“We recommended (trying) to find the money to fund the
Department of Child Services,” Carlson said. “The reason
behind that is the students that are in need of those services
are so tight on money, they need scholarship services.”
Due to increasing car insurance rates, CARPOOL also
received an increase of $5,000 in funding.
Student Body President Jack Hildebrand said the in
creases were justified.
“No student, including me, enjoys any increase in fees,
but the way I understand it, this is a state-mandated in
crease,” Hildebrand said.
The SSFAB’s closed-door deliberations when consid
ering funding increases have generated some debate.
“The closed-door policy is in contravention of the most
basic principles of democratic governance and is to be
condemned,” said Aggie Watch President Mark McCaig.
Carlson said the closed-door policy is necessary for the
benefit of those on the SSFAB.
See Fees on page 2
Student Service Fee Increase
Students are paying 29 cents more per
credit hour in Student Service Fees.
i $305,762 will go to state-mandated
salary increases
Money from reserve funds will go to:
« $5,000 to CARPOOL
■ $35,000 to A&M Child Care Center
ANDREW BURLESON • THE BATTALION
SOURCE : CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN PRESIDENT GATES AND DEAN BRESCIANI
Local Republicans rally support for W
By Sara Foley
THE BATTALION
Local Republicans rallied in support of
President Bush at the College Station Confer
ence Center Thursday night, as he accepted
the Republican nomination for president at the
conclusion of the Republican National Con
vention in New York City. The group also
cheered in support of local congressional can
didate Arlene Wohlgemuth.
Former Florida Secretary of State Katherine
Harris, who served during the 2000 recount,
was in attendance to support Wohlgemuth.
“I thought it was important enough to
leave the convention to be here to show
support for Arlene. These grassroots ef
forts are vital,” Flarris said.
Nick Anthis, a senior biochemistry ma
jor and director of publicity for the Aggie
Democfats, said it was appropriate that Har
ris was at the rally.
“(Flarris is) one of the reasons that Bush is
president, so it’s no surprise that they’re hon
oring her (at the rally),” Anthis said.
Wohlgemuth, who is running against incum
bent Chet Edwards, served under Bush during
his time as governor and said she wanted an
opportunity to work with him again.
Anthis said he strongly disapproves of
Wohlgemuth as a congressional candidate,
that she has no record to stand on and is using
the Bush-Cheney ticket to get into office.
“It’s no surprise that (Wohlgemuth) is try
ing to ride in on the Bush-Cheney coat tails,”
Anthis said. “Bush and the Republican Party,
they're all words and no action. Just like the
Wohlgemuth campaign.”
Harris said the president’s speech would
remind Americans of Bush’s accomplish
ments as president.
“When the American people recognize what
has been accomplished and where we’ve come
from since the beginning, they’re going to rec
ognize what an incredible leader (Bush) is,”
Harris said. “I want to have the opportunity to
help (Bush) with his agenda. He has led the
country well over the last four years and he
deserves four more years,” she said.
See Rally on page 2
NCAA changes rules on hostess programs
By Erin Price
THE BATTALION
Since 1985, the mission statement for Aggie Flostesses (AH) has
been “recruiting the finest for the future of Aggie football.” However,
in early August, the NCAA put an end to such groups around the
nation, according to Jeff Howard, managing director of public and
media relations for the NCAA.
“The main point of this legislation is to ensure that these high school
and junior college recruits get the same treatment as other perspective
students to the university,” Howard said.
The amendment to recruiting rules set forth by the NCAA that passed
Aug. 5 states that student hosts to the recruits may only be current stu
dent athletes or students who provide campus tours to prospective stu
dents in general, Howard said.
“The Aggie Hostesses will no longer have an active role in recruit
ing,” said Nancy Maly, senior office associate for football reemiting
and AH sponsor. “We are going to have different game-day activities
for the girls that are centered on supporting the football team, rather
than hosting the young men.”
The ruling has come in the wake of the 2001 recruiting scandal at the
University of Colorado, where prospective high school students were
lured by sex, drugs and alcohol, according to a report by Colorado’s
board of regents in May.
Lauren Roche, a senior biology major and recruiting coordinator for
AH, said she has been contacting other hostess groups in the Big 12 to
see how they are handling the change.
“The Aggie Hostesses have worked extremely hard over the years to
A 2001 recruiting scandal at the University of Colorado
caused the NCAA to make changes to its recruitment
rules. Those who can be involved in recruiting are:
• Non-gender specific campus groups
•Current student atheletes
• Students who provide campus tours
AIM
^ IT
h ) i a x
BRANDI DUNN • THE BATTALION
SOURCE : JEFF HOWARD, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PR FOR NCAA
fight against stereotypes,” Roche said. “We just hope that our organization
can find a way to coexist with new NCAA regulations so that we can con
tinue to support Texas A&M University and its football program.”
The ruling aims to prohibit gender-based groups being involved in
recruiting activities on official and unofficial visits, according to the
See Hostess on page 2
Senior A&M student dies of unknown causes
By Luke Jackson
THE BATTALION
Ronald Ian Hord, a 21 -year-old senior psychol
ogy major, died Aug. 17 in his hometown of San
Angelo, Texas of unknown causes, police said.
“San Angelo’s Police Department doesn’t
have enough information to make a conclud
ing statement presently,” said Lt. Curtis Mil-
bourn of the San Angelo Police Department.
Chris Bradley, a senior ocean engineering
major and friend of Herd’s, said Hord had a
gift of making people laugh.
“Everybody loved him, he was a funny
guy,” Bradley said. “ Fie always knew how
to lighten the mood of a place — (he was)
very social,” Bradley said.
Bradley said Hord was an outgoing and in
volved Aggie who participated in several ex
tracurricular activities, including the “Brazos
Benefit Bash,” “Texas Flighway Clean Up”
and “Share the Spirit,” a program in which
Aggies sponsor young children afflicted with
cancer to travel from Houston to College Sta
tion so they can experience Aggie life by go
ing to games, meeting athletes and participat
ing in Aggie traditions.
During his freshman year at Texas A&M, Hord
was a founding father in the Alpha Mu Chapter of Phi
Gamma Delta (Fiji) and remained active throughout
his remaining college career. Hord managed the Fiji
house, helped coordinate community-based events
through his fraternity and was in charge of the Fiji
“Graduate-Brother relations” board.
See Student on page 2