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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 2004)
NEW 1 ; 'TALK)] Wednesday, September 15, 2004 The Battalion olume III* Issue 14 • 12 pa^es A l exas A& 1Y1 I radifion Since 1893 vv OPINION: For peace and posterity? page 11 vvww.lhebatt.coin IS PANIC HERITAGE MONTH -lispanic Heritage is beginning its month ong celebration. ept. 16: Mr. Lionel Sosa “The Power of High Expectations" MSC 201-7 p.m. jept. 22: Ms. Anaka D. Rivera "The Politics of Hispanic Education" MSC 201 -7 p.m. ept. 29: Dr. Rogelio Saenz “Educational Patterns of Latinos" MSC 201 -7 p.m. 3ct. 6: Ms. Cortney Warren "Eating Disorders in Hispanic Women" MSC 201-7 p.m. Dct. 13: Dr. Edward Murguia “On Fully Becoming an American, an Aggie, and Latino/Hispanic” MSC 201-7 p.m. EMY HERNANOE PAGE DESIGN BY: LAUREN ROUSE A&M celebrates Hispanic heritage By Pammy Ramji THE BATTALION The Hispanic Presidents’ Council (HPC) and Professional Hispanic Network (PHN) are hosting Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins Wednes day and ends Oct. 15. Vice President for Hispanic Presidents’ Council Elsa Rivera is ready for Hispanic Her itage Month. “We are very excited because this year is the first year that we have been able to help in planning what will be going on over the month,” Rivera said. Sarah Pena, president of HPC said this is the first time an event of this magnitude has been put together. “I strongly agree with President Gates and the faculty and staff,” Pena said. “We need to diver sify Texas A&M — all students need to be edu cated about different cultures.” HPC was founded in 1991 under the Depart ment of Multicultural Services. It is a student- run organization that provides a network for Hispanic students and organizations to express their opinions and offer their services at A&M, serving as an umbrella support group for 14 Hispanic organizations. One of HPC’s goals is to unite the Hispanic voice. “One way we are going to do this is through Hispanic Heritage Month,” Rivera said. Pena said it’s important that people come to the events to learn more about what being Hispanic truly means. “When (Hispanics) have to fill out surveys we put ‘Hispanic,’ but that covers over 20 countries,” Pena said. “We cover a large range of the world under one title. People need to know that.” Each week of Hispanic Heritage Month has a different theme, such as politics, education, health and culture. On Oct. 15, H.O.W.D.Y (Hispanic Orientation Working on Developing Young Ags) will be closing Hispanic Heritage Month. Emy Hernandez, director of programs for HPC and member of the Hispanic heritage planning committee, has been planning Hispanic Heritage Month since the summer. “We have different programs and events planned for each week as well as great speakers,” Hernandez said. Events include two movies from different His panic countries each week and guest speakers, such as the media consultant for the 2004 Bush campaign, Lionel Sosa. “This year is going to be bigger and better than last year,” Rivera said. “We have everything peo ple are looking for.” “Our goal is for everyone to participate, not only Hispanics, and come out and have a wonder ful time,” Hernandez said. i A&M-Galveston gitudent shot in mouth I By Elizabeth Knapp L I THE BATTALION facing jpeared I Texas A&M-Galveston Iran, ludent Rob Carson was shot aion, lorn the mouth in the parking move,: i 0l of his apartment complex ng tows« r j(i a y morning after he at- tion as * n( je(l Midnight Yell on the overnmi*aiveston campus to support n uraniie Aggie football team. A »gy ; Ionian who was accompany- an is m j^g him was unharmed. ‘ rman fr|i “1 had a friend drop me off at <a Fisc' jpy apartment around 2:45 a.m., mderstai: an d a guy came up to the door end up Hi with a gun in his hand and asked )n - Cv all of our money,” Carson, a ot * w 1 p’ n i° r maritime administration 1 “^'inajor, said. “We complied, and 1 ran won j g ave hi m m y $40.” landon i c ar son said the light of his P ro F' [jell phone in his hand was 1 1 | enough to panic the robber, ln ‘ 1 " jausing him to shoot. ild be« -] tume[ j m y ] iea( j at ^ n gitt arms .foment and the bullet went m on Yfhroiigh m y upper left lip and 1 ^ in . lSl .«'rough my right cheek just graz- ^ eza ^fftgmygum line,” Carson said, ild not Ml Q rson sa id he fell down, f mood up bleeding and started Id gu al ’ 2 fp run away with his friend nuce »hile the robber tried to start he Unit the standard transmission ve- have d hide with difficulty. “The girl, who wishes to remain anonymous, was pret ty shaken up because after I was shot, the gun was pointed at her,” Carson said. In an e-mail sent to A&M- Galveston students on Friday, Anthony Martinez, chief of police for the Galveston cam pus, urged students to use caution when out at night and to report suspicious activity to the police department or the campus police. Galveston students are still surprised at the recent events. “Rob and I are really good friends, so I was the first to know,” said Chris Pinkston, a junior maritime administra tion major. “Since I was the first to hear, I got it in detail, and didn’t just hear ‘Rob was shot.’ The things that went through my head were, ‘What caliber could it have been to not do great damage?”’ Mary Allen, a senior marine biology major, said the shoot ing made students really think about their surroundings. “I’ve never been in a town where so much crime hap pens,” Allen said. “It is a scary place to live in, and you See Shot on page 2 Question-and-answer Graduate student Damian Medina talks to seniors Lindsay Tuesday afternoon. Anderson and Gonzales were also quizzing Anderson and Rosie Gonzales about voter registration dur- students on trivia about women in college and were giving prizes ing the Women’s Open House at the Memorial Student Center for correct answers. R Custodial staff honored for work ER rd? FNB By Chelsea Sledge THE BATTALION I Mary Richardson, a custodian at Texas A&M, doesn’t make plans in life. Although she and her husband travel fre quently, they have never planned a trip before leaving. 1 “We just get up and do it,” Richardson said. “A lot of times when you make a plan, something else comes up.” Richardson received the surprise yesterday of being lamed A&M Custodial Employee of the Year at a cer emony held in Rudder Theater. 1 “Ms. Richardson is a shy, serious and kind person,” said jloris Woods, custodial supervisor for Crew P. “1 nominated her (for this award) for her professionalism and fairness. She is a good worker and gets to work 30 minutes early every day.” Richardson has been employed at the A&M Physical Plant epartment as a custodial worker since February 1992. She was chosen from four other candidates in different custodial |rews all nominated by their supervisors. I To receive the award, the employee must be working full- lime for at least 12 months. Recipients are then chosen by their supervisor based on a point system in which they arc CUSTODIAL EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR The 2004 Custodial Employees of the Year were announced Tuesday morning. The ceremony was a part of International Housekeepers’ Week. Custodian of the Year Mary Richardson 15 other custodians were recognized as the best among their work crews: Linda Shulz Juana Noyola Lucinda Sibrian Elida Ledezma Mary Morrow Janice Austin Louis C. Hartmann Jr. Irene Gonzales Heraclio Lopez Maria G. Duque Silveria De-Valadez Magarita Carreno Alejandra Lopez Venancia Calvo Maria D. Alvarado ANDREW BURLESON • THE BATTALION SOURCE : GINGER MELTON awarded for qualities such as cooperation, adaptability, care of equipment, appearance of area and self-motivation. Richardson began cleaning the John B. Connally Building in 1992 and now oversees the cleaning of 30 buildings on campus. See Custodial on page 2 »Pay? r* X ie Rd. lall IN ohlgemuth vows to follow Bush By Jibran Najmi THE BATTALION ? State Rep. Arlene Wohlgemuth cam paigned on campus Tuesday against her opponent, Chet Edwards, a 13-year vet- feran of the House of Representatives. ; Wohlgemuth touted her endorsements by various pro-life groups as wel I as the National Rifle Association (NRA). She also attacked Edwards’ record as being j liberal and “consistently in opposition Bo President Bush’s policies.” “1 don’t try to hide my vote. I don’t try to vote one way in Washington and then come home and try to explain it to my district another way,” Wohlgemuth said. “1 will stand by my votes because my votes are a demonstration of the philosophy that I hold.” Wohlgemuth said Edwards was the wrong choice for Texas A&M and Bra zos County because he disagreed with the president on numerous occasions. Gina Hollenbeck, the communications director for the Wohlgemuth campaign, said Wohlgemuth would adhere to the president’s policies and platforms. “Sixty-five percent of the citizens in this district support the president and will vote for him,” Hollenbeck said. “In being a good representative, Wohl gemuth will vote with the president and support (his) policies, as the president shares the values and views of the peo ple ... who elected him into office.” Wohlgemuth said tuition deregula tion was a painful vote for her. She said she supported tuition deregulation in order for universities to receive nec essary resources. “The alternative (to tuition deregula tion) would have been to not allow the See Wohlgemuth on page 10 Experimental hormone helps Aggie grow By Luke Jackson THE BATTALION Stephen Thompson, a senior speech communication major at Texas A&M, grew from 5 feet 1 inch to 5 feet 9 nine inches tall from his junior year of high school to his junior year of college by using Human Growth Hormone (HGH), a synthetic growth hormone that causes muscles and bones to grow and is almost identical to the natu ral hormone produced by the pitu itary gland in the brain. “I would’ve never grown to a normal height if I hadn’t used (HGH),” Thompson said. Standing at 5 feet 1 when he was 17 did not sit well with Thompson who, despite having several friends in high school, wanted to feel more normal. “It wasn’t about vanity for me. I just wanted to grow to my poten tial height,” said Thompson, who suffered from stunted growth. Dr. Dana Hardin, an endocri nology researcher at Southwest Medical Center in Dallas, was recommended to Thompson dur ing high school, and she has been experimenting with possible uses of HGH for more than a decade. Hardin’s studies of HGH have been published since 1991. HGH and its potential medical uses are still under debate. Pos sible short-term side effects in clude increased blood pressure, fluid retention, carpal tunnel syn drome and joint pain. HGH is le gally available by a prescription. Regular treatments can cost up to $20,000 a year, Thompson said. “There are several different disorders that HGH has shown progress at fight ing,” Hardin said. “For example, HGH is showing results when we treat pa tients with cystic fibrosis and diabetes. It’s very exciting.” Ethical concerns regarding abuse of the drug have been raised as well. “Some (people) say that HGH might be misused by people who simply want to be bigger or taller; That it might get out of hand. I’m totally against using HGH just to be more athletic,” Thompson said. Senior agricultural development major Garret Brenner attended high school with Thompson when he began using HGH. “I was concerned at first about (Thompson) taking HGH because to me, HGH was in that ‘gray area,”’ Brenner said. “It was just a risk he felt he had to take.” Brenner said he doesn’t blame Thompson for using HGH because his height was affecting his daily life. “After he got his driver license, Ste phen would get pulled over by police because they thought he was an un derage driver,” Brenner said. “At res taurants, he would sometimes get the See Hormone on page 2