The J-TAC (Stephenville, Tex.), Vol. 170, No. 6, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 29, 2005 Page: 1 of 12
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Who are we?:
Identity crisis at
Tarleton when it
comes to mascots,
Page 3
5
The
TAC
Using Protection:
Computer users should '
protect themselves from
— , spy- and adware, Page 9
mgtJW A xveekly student publication of Tarleton State University since 1919.
O. 6
Dallas County District Attorney's office
contradicts Tarleton Police statement
, - Events from RajamaMcoimimtting1h&(ffi
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•Nov. 18,2004 •Anonymouse-mailUTD. , . "Dec. 14,2004 - ,'V'
* ' j ;Rajainani rap^s vkdt UJp, ^ , | st'udenUent to Tarleton Police j Rajamani accepted into Tarleton "•?' ,
'TSU ;FoIiqe say:'ftey
Rajam^^J^ati jergins
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-:' ;?0O4T,J //J^. ; "'-December2004 ' : V Liarch 23,20Q5.
Rajaniani approached by police / ■' ' Dallas County District Attorney's >( , Koestler says Sgt. Hutsoniniorpied J Raja^^^a^yAt^^:
■ : office contacts Tarleton Police ■■■ him of Rajamani
&om Tarlotpn
By JOHNATHON PARKER and
AKHIL KADIDAL
J-TAC Staff
While the administration is still conferring, new
information from the Dallas -County District Attor-
ney's office contradicts statements made by Tarleton
Officials concerning the admittance and graduation
of charged and confessed rapist Prathap Rajamani.
As reported in the Sept. 15 issue of The J-TAC,
the Tarleton Police Department claimed they were
not informed of Rajamani's situation until well after
he was admitted last spring. Tarleton Police Chief
Robert Hooper said the department knew nothing
of the situation until late May, when they received a
"confidential e-mail from somebody/'
However, Rachel Horton, Public Information
Officer for the Dallas County District Attorney's of-
fice, stated that Tarleton was notified sooner.
"I have just spoken with the prosecutor on
this case, Brian Corrigan, and he said he contacted
Tarleton campus police last December, as soon as he
learned that Rajamani was attending or intended to
attend school at Tarleton/' Horton stated. •
Horton also gave an earlier time for what may
have been what Hooper called "confidential e-
mail."
"Apparently the first contact Jarleton had re-
garding Rajamani's then-pending case was in the
form of an e-mail from an anonymous student at
UTD," Horton stated.
The Tarleton Police office said that Hooper was
on vacation and unavailable to comment. The offi-
cial acting in Hooper's absence said he had insuffi-
, cient information to answer questions regarding the
'Situation.
, Additionally, Dean of Students Rusty Jergins,
Johnathon Parker/J-TAC Graphic
who said he was uninformed of Rajamani until the
police contacted him about it in May, was also un-
able to comment by press time.
Another possible inconsistency exists with the
information given by the Tarleton Police Depart-
ment. According to Dr. Fred Koestler, Director of
International Affairs, he was informed of Rajamani
by Administrative Sgt. Jonathan Hutson'on March
23, 20G5,Vsmore than a month before Hooper said the
police department was informed.
Hutson declined to comment, saying that he was
not authorized to address the media.
Freshmen Retention
19% left after
Spring 2005
18% left after
Fall 2004
63% came '
back after first
year
Stefanie Johnson/J-TAC Graphic
63 percent of freshmen
come back to Tarleton
By STEFANIE JOHNSON
. Staff Writer
Many Tarleton students, especially
freshmen, struggle with academics.
Whether it is from work, relationships,
other activities or just being away from
home, students have a tendency to feel
overwhelmed during their first year at
school. The Office of Planning, Evalua-
tion and Institutional Research (OPEIR),
headed by Dr. Brad Chilton, provides
information and statistics regarding Tar-
leton's demographics, performance and
other relevant data.
According to OPEIR, during the tall
2004 semester, there were 1,176 new
freshmen enrolled'at Tarleton. From fall
2004 to spring 2005, 208 freshmen (18
percent) dropped out either for personal
or academic reasons. An additional 227
. freshmen (19 -percent) left Tarleton be-
tween the spring 2005 and fall 2Q05 se-
mesters. t ' '•
, Freshmen also have a tendency to
drop more classes than upperclassmen.
During the 2004-05 school year, 1,043
classes were dropped by freshmen, 748
by sophomores, 588 by juniors and 518
by seniors. Although it may be better to
drop a class than to fail, only six dropped
classes are allowed during,a student's
academic career.
There are consequences for students
who do poorly in their classes. Tar-
leton's Academic Deficiency Policies are
outlined on pages 2 ffjLS}/ of the student
handbook. Students must maintain a 2.0
cumulative grade point average — a C
average — to be in good standing. Ac-
cording to the Academic Affairs office,
during the 2004-05 school year, 970 pro-
bation warnings were issued, 203 stu-
dents went on academic probation and
815 students went on academic suspen-
sion.
Other consequences of poor grades
See RETENTION, Page 10
Rita less severe than predicted
, v • , ... Sarah Todd/The J-TAC
Vehicles'line up outside of a Conoco in Stephenville last Wednesday in the midst-of a fuel scare be:fore Rita hit.
•Local residents rush gas stations in preparation
for hurricane's possible impact on fuel supply
By AKHIL KADIDAL
News Editor
Hurricane Rita, following closely
on the heels of Katrina, was predicted
to add much of the Texas coast to the
destruction of the Gulf Coast, but ulti-
mately proved to be less destructive.
Though many in the Stephenville area
prepared themselves for the possibil-
ity of a damaging storm, officials say
Texas got off light.
Rita, the strongest hurricane to
have entered the Gulf of Mexico and
the third strongest in the Atlantic Ba-
sin, made landfall at Sabine Pass, ap-
proximately 12.5 miles south of Port
Arthur and about 62 miles east of
Galveston, which was the projected
hit zone for Rita.
The hurricane was preceded by a
mass evacuation of Texans from the
/
coastal region, especially those ar-
eas lying east of Houston and on t(\e
coast. Texas Governor Rick Perry also
recalled all Texas emergency person-
nel (including l^OO^ational Guards-
men) involved in rescue and clean up
work in Louisiana to deal with any
catastrophe that Rita might have in-
flicted. ' !
Officials in Galveston, who re-
membered the town's devastation in
1900 to a hurricane that cost 8000 lives,
urged all civilians to leave by Se£t.
21. Of the town's 58,000 residents, 90
■ See RITA, Page 10
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■ ' pm '
'vV V..', V (
' t'i«'''f ' ■ ^'u i
Checotah, Okla.
■;'*jprice$^&6fSepC28*:";
Source: GasPriceWatch.com
DeLay indicted, steps down from post
,' " Chuck Kennedy/KRT
DeLay speaks to reporters in Washing-
ton after being indicted on conspiracy
charges regarding campaign donations.
AUSTIN, Texas (KRT) - The indict-
ment Wednesday of U.S. House Majority
Leader Tom DeLay forces one of the most
powerful Republicans in government to
surrender his post at a time when his par-
ty is being buffeted by political setbacks
from Iraq to the Gulf Coast and the White
House.
DeLay's exile from power is expected
to last until the felony charge is resolved.
That could keep him out of action well
into next year's midterm elections for
control of. Congress. It also costs the na-
tion's governing party its steeliest hand
in Congress — he's nicknamed "the ham-
mer" for his legendary ability to press
legislation through — at a time when the
party's agenda has stalled and its leaders
appear to be struggling to regain control
of events and the public's confidence.
A Texas grand jury accused DeLay,
R-Texas, and two associates of conspiring
to circumvent Texas election laws in their
successful 2002 campaign to win control
of the Texas state House .of Representa-
tives.
DeLay angrily denied the charge and
said it stemmed from a partisan political
vendetta against him. "I have violated no
law, no regulation, no rule of the House.
I have done nothing unlawful, unethical
or, I might add, unprecedented," he said,
"I am innocent."
The man who sought the indictment
was Travis County District Attorney
Ronnie Earle, one of the state's highest-
ranking Democrats and once, described
by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram as "the
only Democrat left who can make them
sweat." .
DeLay, 58, will keep his seat in
the. U.S. House, - where he represents
' See DELAY, Page 10
wiun's
till
irth
1
Id", it ii it u i u t
approved as chief justice; Study Skills workshops begin;' viewed; Cartoon; "A College leyball loses'jfor third time;
Tips to lose weight Job fair to bring companies ■ Girl Named Joe" Club Soccer; Trash Talk
llff
games remembered
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The J-TAC (Stephenville, Tex.), Vol. 170, No. 6, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 29, 2005, newspaper, September 29, 2005; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth142111/m1/1/: accessed May 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Tarleton State University.