Page 2
College Station, Texas
Wednesday, September 19, 1973
THE BATTALION Barb Sears-
Fairer System Needed
Watergate! Watergate!
Yes, it’s possible at A&M within our own Student
Government system and under the present Constitution for
such an event to arise. And it’s still going on.
During the last spring semester the former Dean of
Men’s Office informed Student Government President Randy
Ross that at least one person in the Student Senate was
on conduct probation for the coming semester for various
reasons.
We don’t know how this communication took place but
we do know some of the thinking that took place. An obstacle
was in the way of the plan to remove the senators, that
being no rule in the SG Constitution about expulsion for
reasons such as conduct probation, scholastic probation or
impeachment.
So the two sources have been reluctant to expose these
student representatives hoping to get a rule passed through
the senate the first month of school with the intent to let
the men off as easily as possible with as few people know
ing about it as possible. The trouble is the information was
leaked and concerned students have been asking questions
about it and, of course, no one is talking.
A bill was introduced in last week’s Senate meeting
which will provide for the above situations and immediate
concern arose as to the power the Vice President’s Office
would have over senators in the future if certain high-rank
ing individuals wanted them out of the way. Rules and
Regulations Committee chairman Curt Marsh denied this
could happen and so the issue was lightly touched.
We asked Curt Marsh on the Senate floor if the bill
would be retroactive and he said it would be.
If the bill were to pass in the next Senate meeting the
Senate could quietly rid itself of these people and nomi
nate and approve new senators on the pretense that the
trio had resigned. Fine, down to here, out here the real
trouble begins.
With the positions being re-filled by appointments in
stead of elected officers, the elite senators would have who
they wanted in, no matter who the residents or students
represented wanted to speak for them.
In the interest of fair play we think it would be the
best decision to make provision for senatorial elections to
be held at the same time as freshman elections and spring
elections. This would allow the students to have a proper
voice in who is representing them in the democratic situa
tion boasted about here.
We understand the attempt to keep the situation as
quiet as possible and can even condone it on the basis that
a men’s reputation shouldn’t be ruined unnecessarily if
the situation could be avoided, especially at an institution
of higher learning.
Cleaning house should be quiet, but moving in should
be made noiser. A slight modification or addition is surely
in order here.
Pull For Reveille III
If it hasn’t gotten fully around yet, we’d like to state
the case of Reveille III who was sick last week and unable
to run through the boot line held for the football team in
its game Saturday.
According to an informed source in Co. E-Z, the
A&M mascot began feeling bad a week ago and was taken
to the College of Veterinary Medicine for standard tests.
However, upon closer examination with more recent tests,
it has been found that she has scars on her lungs and
possibly a pancreas disease.
Reveille, by the way, has an interesting background
that few seldom get to know.
As a six-month-old pup, she attended her first yell
practice at All-University Night in the fall of 1966 after
being given to the student body in the spring.
The collie which was presented by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph
Husa of Fairbank, Alaska, also had the privilege of looking
over burial ceremonies for Rev II held in Kyle Field.
Let’s hope she can join us in Baton Rouge Saturday
night as scheduled.
Deposit Return Advice Givem
The biggest hassle in the apart
ment world must be getting a
security deposit refund from a
landlord. Our complaints run 25
to 1 about security deposits, so a
little advice may give some legal
knowledge that will help avoid a
conflict and guarantee not get
ting ripped off.
One recent complaint came
from a tenant who moved out of
his apartment when his lease ex
pired, without giving any advance
notice that he planned to vacate.
The manager told him that he
could not expect to receive his
deposit back. State law says that
tenants should give 30 days ad
vance notice, but if they don’t,
they should still get a deposit
refund.
The only time a tenant should
lose his deposit in such a case
is if the lease has clause requir
ing advance notice, and if that
clause is underlined or in bold
print. In such cases, it is consid
ered “conspicuous” and it is ex
pected that the tenant noticed the
clause when he signed the lease.
However, whether an apartment
lease has such a requirement or
not, it really is best to give 30
days advance notice if planning to
move out.
As was mentioned in last week’s
column, the new law concerning
tenants and landlords, effective
Sept. 1, requires landlords to re
turn security deposits within 30
days after the tenant has moved
out. The landlord must itemize
any deductions and send a writ
ten list to the tenant, also within
30 days. Failure to do this will
result in severe penalties to the
landlord.
If a full deposit return is ex
pected, one must leave the apart
ment in good condition. It should
be clean and ready for the next
tenant to move, in. Tenants are
expected to wash the floors, clean
the oven, and defrost the refrig
erator, among other things. But
it is expected of the landlord to
accept any “normal wear and
tear” as an ordinary business ex
pense and not deduct from the
deposit for it. This is the case
with carpet shampooing unless
the tenant has been especially
negligent and stained the carpet
Grant Funds
Awaiting
Freshmen
First-time students at A&M
who applied for the Basic Educa
tional Opportunity Grant
(BEOG) Program may have
grant funds waiting for them.
“We have received notification
from the government that we can
now begin to make payments to
students who qualified for the
program,” Robert M. Logan, stu
dent aid director at TAMU, said.
“We have $83,570 to distribute,
but we must have the student’s
Family Contribution Analysis Re
port to calculate the amount of
his entitlement.”
Students who have the analysis
forms completed are advised to
present them at the Scholarship
Section of the Student Financial
Aid Office, YMCA Building Room
severely. Then, some of the se
curity deposit may be rightfully
claimed by the landlord.
To avoid disputes over the con
dition of the apartment, it is best
to make a checklist on all items,
from the furniture to the carpet
at the time of moving in. The
manager should review the apart
ment and checklist and verify its
accuracy by initialing the list. If
you also take down the condition
of the items and any faults they
might have, the list will be ex
tremely useful when moving out.
With his initials on the list, the
manager would not be able to
make any claims about the con
dition of the apartment that were
not true.
There is a complication if you
and your roommate have signed
the same lease agreement, and
Listen Up—
Editor
Being a two year letterman on
the track team has made me very
proud. However, I am concerned
and disappointed about the sup
port that my team has received
from the students at A&M.
I have come to realize that foot
ball takes precedence over all
sports at this university, but it
isn’t the only sport here. Did you
know that the Bryan-College Sta
tion community supports some of
the teams at this school more
than the students do ? I honestly
believe that spring sports deserve
more support than what they have
previously been receiving. I will
admit that other sports are bor
ing to watch, but so is football
sometimes.
What happens to the so called
“loyal Aggies” when football sea
son concludes?
Horace Ulysses Grant
★ ★ ★
Editor:
Now that school has been un
derway for nearly two weeks and
all confusion as to where to park
your car has hopefully cleared it
self, members of the student body
must make an effort to be consid
erate. I am referring to the habit
of a few who park their cars from
one side of the lot to the other,
particularly in parking lot 1 be
hind the large civilian dorm area.
One will understand my position
if they have ever been down any
row near Fowler and Keathley
Halls and discovered that the
end has been blocked by some
both put deposits down. In effect,
by signing the same contract, you
are saying that you will vouch
for each other. So if your room
mate damages the apartment in
excess of his deposit, the land
lord can legally withhold some of
your deposit as well.
For another example, if a
roomie packs up and skips town,
you as a cosigner of the lease,
are then responsible for all of the
rent. This same law applies for
cleaning the apartment when
leaving. You are both responsible
for each other. However, there
are some landlords who recognize
that only one is at fault, and up
on your cleaning up a sufficient
portion of the apartment, will re
fund all of your deposit, and
charge only your roommate for
what is left to be done.
one’s car. Consequently, one must
back their car down the row and
through the small opening left
by some one who has parked on
the outside of the white line.
I understand that the growth
of the campus to 18,000 students
and the construction on campus
have caused a cut down in park
ing space availability, but it
would be less disheartening if
consideration were added the next
time a car was parked.
Fran Ford
★ ★ ★
Editor:
I would like to thank the per
son or persons responsible for the
installation of the new light near
the Zachry Engineering Center.
Until this year, a motorist ap
proaching the intersection would
face the problem of deciding
whether the truck on the left or
the car to the right had arrived
first, thus setting the scene for
numerous daily confrontations be
tween drivers.
Although the intersection will
still be congested at various times,
the new light will regulate traffic
more efficiently and give the po
liceman directing traffic at peak
hours last year a well-earned rest
from the havoc.
Robert Dunn, “76”
★ ★ ★
Editor:
What ever happened to “How
dy?”
During the first two weeks of
school the absence of this classic
greeting was apparent. Getting
Another point to keep in mind
is that you may have made sever
al deposits on the apartment
These are most likely pet and
security deposits, and perhaps a
deposit made as a guarantee that
you would rent the apartment
These deposits are separate and
distinct and may not be used for
anything but their stated purpose,
For example, if the apartment has
been damaged and there wasn’t
enough deposit to cover things
like nail holes in the wall, the
manager is not allowed to use
part of pet deposits to cover such
repairs.
Hopefully, a knowledge of these
basic laws concerning security de.
posits will help you avoid these
common hassles with your land
lord, and assure that a deposit
doesn’t disappear.
some Aggies to say, “howdy" is
like extracting teeth.
I said “Hi!” to a stranger yes-
terday, and his incredulous coun
tenance practically accused me of
being gay! Another student stum
bled off a curb in astonishment
when I called out “Howdy!” to
him. Still others gravely bow
their heads or stare at infinity
and quicken their step to avoid
being noticed or spoken to on the
sidewalk.
For decades Aggies have been
known for their loyalty to each
other and to A&M. They have
the distinctive reputation of open
friendliness and comradeship.
The noticeable decline in friend
liness is, of course, due to several
factors including the explosive
growth of the student body ac
companied by a dwindling corps
of cadets. Big cities, big universi
ties, big churches and most any
kind of large groups tend to grow
cold, clannish and apathetic. But
why, why should we allow' this
tragedy to occur.
We must call a halt to the cold
apathy creeping across our cam
pus and replace it with enthu
siasm and open friendliness. Ev
ery Ag should take the initiative
to introduce himself (herself) and
speak up to other students rather
than expecting other folks to
speak first. Also, remember that
a smiling face draws many more
“Howdy’s.”
We need to revive the spirit of
Howdy!”
Rodger L. Lewis ’75
ALPINE
Back-Packs
Athlete Hits ‘Football Crowds'
303.
'WE HOPE EVENTUALLY TO GET YOU TO THE STAGE WHERE YOU WON'T NEED FOOD
ANY MORE.'
Cbe Battalion
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of
the editor or of the writer of the article and are not
necessarily those of the University administration or
the Board of Directors. The Battalion is a non-profit,
self-supporting enterprise operated by students as a
University and Community newspaper.
LETTERS POLICY
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and are subject to being cut to that length or less if
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Address correspondence to Listen Up, The Battalion,
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EDITOR MIKE RICE
Managing Editor Rod Speer
News Editor T. C. Gallucci
Women’s Editor Louie Holzem
Sports Editor Kevin Coffey
Ass’t. Sports Editor Ted Boriskie
SEIKO:
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