What Now?
The events of the past 12 days have been unparalleled in their
number, their complexity and their long-range significance. Briefly, the
chronology runs something like this:
April 16—The candidacy of A1 Reinert for Student Senate
President was challenged by Election Commission Vice-President
Tommy Henderson on the grounds that Reinert’s A&M grade point
ratio did not meet the minimum 1.5 requirement. Late that night, the
Commission met to consider the case, along with those of two other
candidates with challenged requirements. After Reinert argued that
transfer grades from another school had been used in the past for such
purposes, and produced a note from Dean James P. Hannigan to that
effect, the Commission approved his candidacy.
April 17—The Student Senate voted against suspending its rules
to take up non-agenda items—specifically, an appeal from a different
election commissioner to reverse the Commission’s decision.
April 22—Henderson appealed the case to President Rudder, who
forwarded it to the University Appeals Committee. The committee
interpreted the University Regulations’ reference to “grade point ratio”
as meaning only A&M grades, and sent the ruling back to the Election
Commission with a request to reconsider its stand. (A subsequent
interpretation of the ruling by four members of the committee—not
part of the original motion—applied it to the current election.) The
Election Commission again approved Reinert’s candidacy.
April 23—A special Student Senate meeting heard Henderson’s
appeal of the Election Commission ruling and voted 33—14 in favor of
Reinert’s candidacy.
April 24—Reinert was elected Senate president by a plurality of
1799 to Garry Mauro’s 1414 and Andy Scott’s 409.
April 25—David Wilks, Civilian Student Council president, ap
pealed the Commission and Senate decisions to the Appeals Committee,
which ruled Reinert scholastically ineligible and recommended a new
election be held for the presidency.
April 26—Several students, concerned over the potentially grave
situation developing, met with Rudder to try to work out a
compromise that would get the university out of what they considered
a dilemma. The suggested solution was that the Executive Committee
declare the election null and void and suggest that a new election be
delayed until early in the fall semester, with Vice-President-Elect Gerald
Geistweidt designated acting president during the interim. This would
allow Reinert a chance, albeit slim, of raising his GPR to the minimum
and meeting the requirements as clarified by the Appeals Committee.
April 27—The Senate Executive Committee, in a special meeting,
endorsed the compromise proposal. It also voted to send along with the
proposal a summary of the opposition’s views on why the election
should be held this semester.
April 28—see front page.
A few observations are in order:
• The situation, as snarled as it had been, seemed to have
reached a viable point when Reinert was elected. The administration
may have had its doubts about the rulings of the Election Commission
and Senate, but it had, after all, indicated a desire to leave the matter in
students’ hands. These two student groups, made up of students’
elected representatives, had exercised powers granted them by Univer
sity Regulations; the student body had made its choice at the polls.
Wilks’ action, again throwing the problem upstairs, was quite possibly
one of the most damaging single blows to student government in recent
years here. By asking an overruling of the student body by an
administrative body whose status as arbitrator of Student Senate
decisions isn’t readily apparent, the appeal sets a dangerous precedent.
• A1 Reinert has been at the mercy of purge-like treatment.
Three times he was called before the Commission and Senate to defend
his candidacy, often with very little notice or time to prepare a case.
The morning of the second Appeals Committee hearing, he reportedly
was awakened with the news that his case was to be considered again
some two hours later.
• The Executive Committee undoubtedly felt its decision would
be in the student’s best interests. But in turning down a middle-ground
position offered by the student government’s leadership, it has caused
more than a few students to doubt whether student government is
being treated fairly.
Whatever comes out of this unfortunate situation, one good result
can be expected: Leaders of the administration and of students have
seen what needs to be done to prevent the recurrence of similar
circumstances in the future. Ambiguous rules must be cleared up.
Candidates must be certified as eligible by the registrar before they
may file. A definite channel of appeals must be set up, with clear
procedural rules.
Unfortunately, there are no precedents to shed light on the
current crisis. What is done will, in fact, be a precedent.
We beheve the Election Commission’s recommendation that the
Senate elevate Geistweidt to the presidency and hold a new election for
the vacated vice-presidency offers hope for a face-saving all the way
around, and the Senate, if given the chance to put its house in order
that way, could maintain the unity it needs to remain effective.
But whatever solution is found to the problems now facing
student government, frustration must never be allowed to replace
rational judgment. The challenge will be great, but this student body is
equal to the challenge and this student government is worth the effort.
WEATHER
Wednesday — Partly Cloudy.
Wind Southerly 10 to 15 mph.
High 78, low 58.
Thursday — Partly cloudy to
cloudy. Wind Southely 10 to
20 mph. High 81, low 61.
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Editor,
The Battalion:
What is the purpose of the
Student Senate? In the Univer
sity Regulations it states that
“The Student Senate is the gov
erning body of the students.”
Members of the Senate for years
have been trying to make deci
sions concerning the welfare of
the student body and endeavor
ing to keep the administration
from interfering with the busi
ness of the students. But now
it seems that this was all for
nought.
I am referring, of course, to
the question of the eligibility of
A1 Reinert to run for President
of the Student Senate in the lat
est election. This question was
brought up before the election
and his eligibility confirmed by
the Election Commission and the
Student Senate. The members
of the Senate are the duly elect
ed representatives of the student
body and expressed the wishes of
the majority of the student body.
Why should the question be tak
en out of the hands of the stu
dents and given to the adminis
tration ? The students, through
their representatives, approved
the candidacy of Mr. Reinert. If
we, the students, are going to
set a precedent by allowing the
administration to overturn a rul
ing made by our Senate, then . . .
What is the purpose of the Stu
dent Senate?
Richard J. Reese
Treasurer
Student Senate 69-70
★ ★ ★
Editor,
The Battalion:
I always thought that an “un
dying devotion to his school” was
an intrinsic part of the Aggie’s
creed. Apparently, devotion to
his half of the school is more
important. Factionalism is the
order of the day.
Actually, there are no Corps
interests or civilian interests at
A&M. For as long as I can re
member, the issues of greatest
concern to our student govern-
“I can’t decide whether to be encouraged or discouraged.
As a graduate student I’m eligible for aid under the Poverty
Program, as a member of the hard core unemployables, the
disadvantaged and as a member of a handicapped minor
ity!”
Bulletin Board
WEDNESDAY
Aggie Christian Fellowship
will meet at 5:30 p.m. in room
3-D of the Memorial Student
Center. Joe Wall will speak on
“God Equals Christ: The Ulti
mate Equation.”
Houston Hometown Club will
meet at 7:30 p.m. in room 321 of
the Physics Building. After
school party will be discussed.
THURSDAY
Dallas Hometown Club will
meet at 7:30 p.m. in rooms 3-B
and 3-C of the MSC. Next year’s
officers will be elected.
Computer Science Wives
Bridge Club will meet at 8 p.m.
in the home of Mrs. William
Tauzel, 1405 Skrivanek Court.
Please call Mrs. Gilbert Fox at
846-8090 for reservations.
Three times in little more than
10 years, coups d’etat have rocked
Iraq.
THE BATTALION
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EDITOR JOHN W. FULLER
Managing Editor Dave Mayes
Sports Editor John Platzer
Staff Columnists John McCarroll, Mike Plake,
Monty Stanley, Jan Moulden
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Huddleston, David Middlebrooke
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CAMPUS
CLEANERS
ment, housing, laundry, com
pulsory board, course evaluation,
faculty-student communications,
etc., were of concern to the
whole student body. Jerry Camp
bell did not entertain civilians to
the exclusion of the Corps.
Neither can Bill Carter be ac
cused of biased leadership. Yet
cadet and civilian consistently
vote for the similarity attired
candidate, regardless of his quali
fications, ability, or experience.
Because of this inconsequential
triviality, we now have a stu
dent body without a leader (un
less the administration moves to
fill the void). When (and if)
a Student Senate President is
selected, be he Corps or civilian,
he will head a divided student
body, or perhaps just half a stu
dent body. How is he to strength
en student government when this
quibbling is undermining it ?
How should the administration
treat a Senate riddled with fac
tional jealousies? How will
A&M compare with other uni
versities in the light of this
phenomenon ?
If this is the type of student
government you want to have,
if this is the image of A&M you
want to project, factionalism and
jealousy should be your stand
ards. The alternatives are in
volvement and responsibility.
The choice is yours.
David Reynolds ’71
No. 1 In College Sales
For Information Call:
Charles Thomas ’64
(College Master Representative)
Fidelity Union Life
Insurance Co.
303 College Main — 846-8228
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Page 2
THE BATTALION
College Station, Texas Tuesday, April 29, INI
READ BATTALION CLASSIFIEDS
is*
Jim Mnrncs
unibertitp men’s totar
It4 University Drive IU/jMMTM
CoUa«. Station, Tnxa. 77SM
Call 822-1441
Allow 20 Minutes
Carry Out*or Eat-In
THE PIZZA HUT
2610 Texas Ave.
SENIORS
In 1965, we first offered graduating Aggies the
popular plan of 100% financing at bank rates and other
unique features. Now, for the first time by any dealer,
we offer car leasing at even lower monthly rates than
car payments.
See Jim Haynie, Chevway Lease Manager
If you've
neverleased
a car before,
it's good to see
a familiar
place...
YOUR CHEVROLET DEALER
We’ve expanded. We’re now a Chevway/Chevrolet
dealer. Which means, we offer you a total transporta
tion center —for buying, leasing or renting.
Leasing isn’t a mystery, when you walk into our
familiar Chevy showroom. You can check out the new
Chevrolets right on the floor. And, we’ll help analyze
leasing vs. buying —and which is right for you.
Should you lease? Ask your Chevway/Chevrolet
dealer—now we have more than one way to put you
into a new Chevrolet.
CHEVWAY
CHEVROLET DEALERS LEASING /RENTAL SYSTEM
Corbusier Chevrolet
500 So, Texas Ave.
PEANUTS
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MERE 5 TkE WORLP FAM0D6,
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JUMPING HEAP-FIRST OFF THE
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