nath
IATTAIi
The Battalion
^ %
Volume 111 • Issue 10 • 18 pages
A Texas A&M ITadition Since 1893
Rules over
reason: NCAA
doesn’t use
good judgment
in rulings.
Page IB
www.thebatt.com
PAGE DESIGN BY: JEFFERSON LOTSPEICH
|TS director addresses transportation concerns
SSOCIATEDf!
bod pas:
bx Tuesc
ent
By Rhiannon Meyers
THE BATTALION
In an open forum Wednesday afternoon in Rud-
|der Plaza, Rod Weis, director of Transportation
Services, said TS is working on alleviating transit
[problems, especially overcrowding on buses.
“We have received complaints that buses are over
crowded,” Weis said. “We are aware of this, and we
are in the same position this first week of classes that
we were the first week of classes last semester.”
More than 60 students came to hear Weis discuss
options for relieving overcrowded buses. Weis said TS
has hired a transit consultant to help find alternatives.
“We’re going to fix this,” Weis said. "We have
a transit consultant hired and on-board.”
Weis said one option being discussed is adding
more buses to certain overcrowded bus routes at spe
cific times. This option would include adding more
buses to the Wehner Express route during peak times.
Weis said one of the problems with this option is
that TS is short on bus drivers, and that the few cur
rent bus drivers have been trying to make up the dif
ference. Weis said 38 drivers are in training, and he
urged students to consider becoming bus drivers.
“When you talk to drivers on your bus, thank them,
because they are doing a good job,” Weis said. “We are
still 30 drivers short, and if you are looking for work on
Tuesday or Thursday, we want to talk with you.”
Weis said another option to alleviate bus over
crowding is to educate students about good times
to catch buses. Weis said overcrowded buses are
usually accompanied by buses that come five min
utes before or five minutes after and are only half
full. Weis said that if students planned their time
accordingly, buses would not be so crowded.
Weis also addressed the problem of overflow
ing lots at the Student Recreation Center. Weis said
that between 6,000 to 6,500 students and faculty
members compete for parking spaces at the Rec ev
eryday. Weis said TS plans to eliminate overnight
parking at the Rec to open space for Rec patrons.
"We are aware of the problem (with Rec parking),
but to be completely honest, due to physical limitations,
there is no way every faculty member and student can
park in that area,” Weis said. “From a space standpoint,
we can’t accommodate all of y’all, but 1 think eliminat
ing overnight parking will help this problem.”
Weis said he is pleased TS is moving students to new
lots ahead of schedule and that more than 2,185 e-mails
were sent to students on Monday offering them spots
in higher-priority lots. Weis said that because so many
students were moved, the $10 fee to change lots was
waived this time. Weis said the students who received
e-mails have two weeks to change into the offered lot.
“The goal is as soon as we have space avail
able, we want to move students, even if it’s just
one student,” Weis said.
According to data gathered last week, the num
ber of vehicles towed on campus has gone down
78.5 percent from last year at this time, Weis said.
“Seventy-eight-point-five percent is a signifi
cant number, and I’m delighted about it because
we don’t like towing cars,” Weis said. “I think ...
y’all are telling us that you have a spot now.”
Weis reminded students that permit holders can
park anywhere on campus after 5 p.m., excluding
reserved spots and residential lots.
In a question-and-answer session following the
speech, Weis said the West Campus Parking Ga
rage could not be opened to all permit holders to
alleviate parking problems at the Rec Center, be
cause it would cause friction between West Cam
pus Garage permit-holders and TS.
“A number of residents park in there and they
would be upset,” Weis said. “I’m not opposed to
talking about changes as long as there is a way we
can administer those changes.”
Weis also said he expects the same parking
problems this year on game days as TS experi
enced last year.
“It will be crowded,” Weis said. “There are
See Transportation on page 2A
in&facuity debates new
Life Sciences project
What’s new, pussycat?
i Beach,
and teir,i
ting thai
nd, no it
ioming,"
n West i
iles.
t)Ug And:
ut a I read
ase be pa
igether."
reporte
at 75 pet
la s east
tph and
By Lacy Ledford
THE BATTALION
I _di,
■ciplinary Life Sciences Complex during an open forum Wednesday.
I Those who attended the forum in Rudder 301 expressed concerns on
■various issues, including motivations, the interdisciplinary nature of the
building and the uncertainty surrounding what w ill be housed in it.
Mike Manson, a biology professor, expressed dissatisfaction about po
litical motivations surrounding the Life Sciences Building.
“There are political and scientific realities here, and I think this process
■ is trying to make it seem like the political reality is the scientific reality,
■when it’s not,” Manson said.
There was also friction at the forum about the interdisciplinary nature of
■ the Life Sciences Center.
I “When you combine expertise from different things, good stuff hap-
■ pens,” Manson said. “The question is: Do you need to put a bunch of dif-
akened r ferent people in that building to make that happen?”
) the Pa: Manson stressed the need for strong departments. He suggested that de-
ia i, e the: 1 partmi^ trTC'rcfrnr tines Htrrimmnnd and encourage interaction between
1V ^ ra jndisciplines. Faculty still had questions about who would be using the Life
■ out kJSciences Complex. Vice Provost William L. Perry said that he recognizes
Link ul there are certain kinds of expertise that are important to the functioning of
' ' * the building.
This doesn’t mean a whole department would be in the build
ing, but that expertise from these anchor departments would some
how be represented there,” he said. “We recognize the importance of
disciplinary sciences and we want to support multidisciplinary and
interdisciplinary work. We believe that with the assistance of the Re
search Environment Council, the deans, faculty and the department
heads, over a design period, we can develop policies for the use of
the building that will really support our faculty.”
Perry said he anticipates additional forums as plans for the Life Sci
ences Complex move forward.
“As a faculty member, I really appreciate these types of forums,” said
associate biology professor Debbie Siegele.
Perry said the meeting was important because it served as a feedback
jmechanism for the faculty.
Siegele said she likes to know faculty members’ input has been consid
ered in the decision-making processes.
“If you tell me you’ve listened to my input and disagree, I still feel like
1 1(1 have) been heard,” Siegele said.
Perry said that although it has been a long road from the initial discus-
■sions about the Complex in 2001, it doesn’t mean there’s no room for
•■other input. The Council for the Built Environment will review the fo
rum’s comments and make a recommendation that will be given to A&M
President Robert M. Gates for further consideration, he said.
The goal for completion of the Life Sciences Building is December
2008, Perry said.
sc
s of tomao
as blamei:
)rida, in
areas hi:
27 peopl:
nised anf
ge.
)m G
e Tuesda;
nage is n
SHARON AESCHBACH • THE BATTALION
Sully, a two-month-old tiger in the care of the Texas A&M College
of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science, is held by his care
taker, Dusty Milanes of Bryan, Wednesday inside Blocker Building
to raise awareness and increase the number of tissue and organ
donors. The program, Donate Life, will return to campus on Sept.
21 with booths at the MSC, West Campus and Blocker.
Bicycle thefts trouble students
Bicvcle 1 Bicycle
proposed site for
We sownors budding
Life Sciences Complex Project
The Council for the Built Environment is
welcoming input for its plans for the
new Life Sciences Building.
HI A likely site for die new building is
adjacent to Simpson Drill Reid on the
opposite side of Old Main Drive.
■ This location was formerly occupied
by Law and Punier residence halls.
■ The budget for the project is
$100 million,
■ The goal for completion of the
project is December 200B.
ANDREW BURLESON - THE BATTALION
SOURCE: BILL PERRY, VICE PROVOST
By Jibran Najmi
THE BATTALION
In the past six weeks, 37 bicycles have
been reported stolen from various campus
locations. None have been recovered, said
Sgt. H. Allan Baron of the University Po
lice Department.
“Among the most popular bikes that are
stolen are Mongoose and NEXT,” Baron said.
“In a little over a month, $6,405 worth of bikes
have been stolen from areas all across cam
pus. The average cost of a stolen bicycle is
approximately $173.”
Baron said Diamondback, Roadmaster,
Schwinn and Trek bikes are the next most fre
quently stolen brands.
“The majority of bikes are stolen due to stu
dents not following proper security procedures
when locking their bikes up,” Baron said.
Baron said he recommends using a case-
hardened U-bolt lock to secure the bike
through the frame, front wheel and the bike
rack. As a further precaution, Baron said he
suggests removing the front wheel and secur
ing it with a U-bolt to the rear wheel.
“The second day of my sophomore year, and
the first day I had a bike on campus, my bike
got stolen,” said Jazia Hamid, a junior biomedi
cal sciences major. “I went to the SCC to study,
and when I came out, everything hut my front
wheel had been stolen.”
Baron said students who are victims of a
bicycle theft should report it immediately to
the UPD at 845-2345, so that the UPD can in
vestigate the case.
“A lot of the bikes we recover don’t have
serial numbers of driver license numbers en
graved on them, so it’s really hard to get the
bike back to its owner,” Baron said.
Baron said he encourages students to make
Bikes were stolen from various areas on campus:
16%
35%
30%
19%
See Bicycle on page 2A
F116% taken from Southside Residence Area
f 130% taken from Northside Residence Area
■ 19% taken from University Apartments
■35% taken from non-residence areas
The total value of the bikes stolen was $6,405
ANDREW BURLESON • THE BATTALION
SOURCE: SGT. ALLAN BARON, UPD
U.S. warplanes bomb Sunni city
By Hamza Hendawi
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
FALLUJAH, Iraq — U.S. jets pounded insur
gent positions in Fallujah for a second straight
lay Wednesday, raising plumes of smoke but
|leaving no extensive damage or signs of weak
ening the Sunni militants who have steadily ex
panded their control of this city about 30 miles
irest of Baghdad.
After the attacks, bands of fighters, many
rearing loose black pajama-like pants and T-
shirts, lounged outside abandoned buildings
facing the American lines, seeking to escape
jthe intense sunlight of a day when temperatures
[topped 114 degrees.
Most hid their faces with Arab head scarves
3r ski masks. Some quenched their thirst with
rater from coolers beside them. Most appeared
to Lae in their late teens or early 20s and 30s, but
a few looked as old as 50.
Elsewhere in the city of 300,000, fighters
patrolled the streets in new American pickups.
One resident, 33-year-old Abu Rihab, said they
were part of a 16-vehicle fleet commandeered
between Jordan and Baghdad.
The Fallujah Brigade, which the Americans
organized in May to maintain security after the
Marines lifted a three-week siege, has all but
disappeared, along with virtually all signs of
Iraqi state authority.
Members of the Iraqi national guard, which
was supposed to back up the Fallujah Brigade,
fled the city after one of their commanders was
executed by insurgents for allegedly spying for
the Americans. Local police operate under the
tacit control of the militants.
See Iraq on page 4A
A&M buses auctioned on eBay
By Shawn C. Millender
THE BATTALION
As part of Transportation Services’ plan to
phase out its older buses, three 1982 Thomas-
brand passenger vehicles went up for auction on
eBay Wednesday.
“The Internet is a good tool to use for selling
items no longer needed by the University or a
school district, and we want to explore it more,”
said Director of Purchasing Services Rex Janne.
Janne said the intent for using eBay was to take ad
vantage of a wider audience than normal auctions get.
An employee for Bus Operations who asked
not to be identified said the three non-air condi
tioned buses were pulled off route as late as the
end of the spring semester. They are all in work
ing, driving condition and have already drawn
interest from individual groups and individuals in
the community.
Assistant Director of Purchasing Services Paul
Barzak said eBay has worked well in the past.
“We’ve been kicking this idea around for a
year or two,” he said. “We recently sold a bunch
of softball jerseys on eBay, and they went for
good prices. Aggie memorabilia is a perfect item;
we’re just keeping up with the times.”
Barzak said that as of Wednesday morning all
three buses had surpassed their $1,000 reserve.
The auctions close Friday, and Purchasing Servic
es will use the money earned for future purchases.
Barzak said any item Texas A&M would nor
mally sell in a public auction is a candidate for
sale on eBay, except used computers.
There are a myriad of uses for a retired bus(;
Barzak said.
“We’ve had people ask if they would have to
strip off the maroon and white paint,” he said.
“And the answer is no. Once you buy it, it’s
See eBay on page 2A