Up against the wall
Confusing
User fee melodrama
By JERRY GEARY
While Student Government may
be getting more melodramatic each
day, it’s also becoming very con
fusing.
Concerning the athletic user fee,
you might be wondering:
“What caused student govern
ment to threaten a boycott of the
$17.50 athletic user fee?”
And
“What finally happened?”
First of all, SG’s recommended
user fee of $10
and $3.50 for in
dividual football
game tickets was
adopted by the
Athletic Depart
ment yesterday
afternoon.
But Student
Government’s
threatened boycott was caused by a
series of communication mishaps
between SG and the Athletic De
partment.
These “mishaps” began April 17
when Bob Shokes, student repre
sentative on the Athletic Council,
met with Student Body President
Jeff Dunn and two other SG leaders
to discuss the Athletic Depart
ment’s $25 user fee plan and $7
individual football game tickets.
“Shokes told us he was going to
shoot for a $17.50 plan, ” said Dunn.
He also said Shokes did not convey
to those in the meeting that there
was going to be a definite increase.
They thought it was just a proposal.
On Monday, April 21, Shokes
went to the Athletic Council and
argued that students would not be
able to cope with the $25 price
hike. Consequently, the council
lowered the user fee to 17.50 but
kept individual game tickets at $7.
Last Tuesday, Assistant Athletic
Director of Business Affairs Wally
Groff, Athletic Council Chairman
Dr. Charles Sampson and Assistant
Athletic ^Director Marvin Tate met
with President Williams who sanc
tioned their $17.50 proposal but
told them to delay any action until
Student Government had looked at
the plan again.
On Wednesday morning, Shokes
and former SG President Steve
Eberhard, saw Marvin Tate and
argued about the $7 individual
game ticket. Another meeting with
Tate, Groff and Athletic Director
Emory Bellard between several SG
leaders resulted in more argument
about the $7 tickets. At this point,
someone called Sampson and Wil
liams. Finally, approval was given
for a $5 individual ticket.
I asked Dunn why he didn’t fight
to lower the $17.50 user fee at the
meeting.
“We didn’t start arbitrating about
the $17.50 because we thought it
was impossible to get it any lower,”
said Dunn.
Then I asked him why the Athlet
ic Department would give Williams
the impression that the Senate
Executive Committee had ap
proved the plan.
“Because we didn’t say anything
against it, they thought we favored
it,” said Dunn.
At the same time, Dunn said,
“We were not acting on behalf of
the executive committee at the
meeting. We did not know the exe
cutive committee had to give an of
ficial approval then.”
By Wednesday afternoon, Dunn
was informed by former VP of
Finance Curt Marsh that there
was an alternative to the $17.50
plan — SG’s own $10 proposal.
After the senate voted to boycott
the Athletic Department’s $17.50
plan, a late night meeting between
the two parties revealed several
communication lapses between the
two but neither would yield any
ground.
After a lengthy recess in which
he telephoned Sampson and Bel
lard, Tate announced the entire
situation would be held “in limbo,”
meaning that no user fee of any type
would be charged to students until
the matter was cleared.
By Thursday afternoon, Williams
had met with SG leaders and as
sured them of $3.50 individual tic
kets and endeavors to lower the
user fee to $10.
Later the same day, Groff in
creased projected revenue from
football games (anticipating a very
successful season) in a meeting
with Dunn and Shokes.
The three men agreed on a com
promise that left the user fee at
$10 if a contingency fund was
established to cover any financial
losses.
Yesterday, SG and the Athletic
Department met to reaffirm the
agreement. If the Athletic Depart
ment suffers any financial loss next
year, they will go to President Wil
liams with “our hands held out for
money. ”
Throughout the affair, the Athlet
ic Department has claimed the best
time to sell student football tickets
is preregistration.
But was it fair to students to
announce the user fee price hikes
the day before preregistration?
No.
Student Government acted in the
best interests of the students in
threatening a boycott of the user
fee.
If the Athletic Department really
cared about the students and had
not tried to sneak this price hike
through, it would have acted sooner
on the matter.
I just can’t buy their excuse that
“preregistration caught us nap
ping.”
By waiting until the last minute,
the Athletic Department received
exactly as much funding as it de
served — nothing more than what
was recommended by the Student
Senate.
Looking back on the entire epi
sode, I can say if Student Govern
ment had not taken action last Wed
nesday night, I would be paying
$17.50 for an athletic user fee rather
than $10.
Thank you, Student Govern
ment.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Batt seeks
reporters
The Battalion is seeking re
porters for now, next fall and the
summer. Experience is helpful,
but not necessary.
Anyone interested should
come by Student Publications,
room 216 of the Reed McDon
ald Services Building.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Page 2 THE BATTALION
TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1975
BASH&Btt
RSHKPSHJ
FINANCIAL
ACHIEVEMENTS, INC.
CASUALTY AGENCY
AUTO-HOME-MOBILE HOME-BUSINESS-BOAT
303 College Main 846-8791
College Station
Broome's SUNSHINE LAUNDfiV
3815 E. 29th ST. — BRYAN, TEXAS 77801
PHONE 846-7921
Open 7 Days Weekly 7-10 Mon.-Fri./8-8 Sat Sun
SELF-SERVICE LAUNDRY
C0IN-0P DRY CLEANING
PROFESSIONAL CLEANING & LAUNDRY
WASH-0RY-F0LD SERVICE
P
>S0FDKENCV/
■CRUNCH
Streamline distribution
Possible with new ticket system
KOOZAT
Editor:
It seems as if the students are
going to be buying tickets to football
games now, so why not use the op
portunity to streamline ticket dis
tribution?
Since we will have to designate if
we want a season ticket at preregist
ration, why can’t we get those tick
ets along with our schedules? The
athletic department could distri
bute the tickets to the season ticket
purchasers by seniority.
Starting with the 50-yard line tic
kets, the seats could be divided up
among seniors, then juniors, then
sophomores, then freshmen. Obvi
ously, this system would eliminate
the students who attend all the
games from the overnight lines at G.
Rollie White.
Single game ticket purchasers
could either designate the game(s)
they want to see or spend the night
in line.
Students should also be given the
option of buying a date season ticket
at the same time he buys his own
season ticket. That way a couple
would be guaranteed their two seats
together for each game. It would
also be nice if the Texas game in
Austin were included in the season
ticket plan as an option.
Maybe SG and the athletic de
partment could get together and
adopt a plan similar to this one.
Hopefully they won’t ignore it as too
convenient to the students at
TAMU.
Steve Laskey
Food co-op
Editor:
For the two years that I’ve been
reading the Battalion, this column
has appeared to be a battle ground
where issues are hashed, mashed,
and rehashed until some new “at
rocity” is cited. What I am saying is
that since this paper is read by so
many members of this community
ie: students, student government,
and administrators, an excellent
medium for constructive criticism is
being overlooked.
I, for one, would like to see if the
new ruling class could work with
food service in setting up a food co
op for day students. I personally
wouldn’t benefit from it since I’m a
dorm resident, but for two thirds of
the student body, Richard Coke’s
words about the goal of A&M to
provide “. . . an education while
keeping the cost to a minimum”
might have meaning.
I would like to see also if a police
beat could be established for the
main campus. At night, when sound
carries well, and sight is practically
useless a man on foot could detect
By Nguyen Dziem
Che 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.
Editorial policy is determined by the editor.
The Battalion, a student newspaper at Texas A&M is published in C ollec, 1 '
Station lexas dailv except Saturday. Sundae Monda\ ,md holiduv period-
September through Mae. and once a week during summer -cho.-
Mail subscriptions are $5.(X) per semester; S^.3n per si hooi year ‘sjd ^ii pet
tull vear All subscriptions subject to 3*4 sales tax. Advertising rate furnished
on request. Address: The Battalion. Roqm 317,-^fvices Building College
Station, Texas 77843.
LETTERS POLICY
v Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are
subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. The editorm!
staff reserves the right to edit such letters and does not guaran
tee to publish any letter. Each letter must he signed, show the
address of the writer and list a telephone number for verifica
tion.
Address correspondence to Listen Up. The Battalion. Rixmi
217, Services Building, College Station, Texas 7734 1
Members of tbe Student Publications Board are: Bob G. Rogers, chairman; Dr.
Gary Halter; Dr. John Hanna; Roger P. Miller; Dr. Clinton A. Phillips; Steve
Eberhard; Don Hegi and John Nash Jr.
Represented nationally by National Educational Advertising Services Inc.
.New York Cite, Chicago and Los Angeles
The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction ot all
news dispatches credited to it or nototherwiso credited in the papei .mo Im al
news ot spontaneous origin published herein Right ot repriTtiu'ct:or m all
other mattei herein are also reserv ed
Second-Clas- onstage paid at College Station le\.i-
Editor James Breedlove
Assistant Editor Roxie Hearn
MEMBER
The Associated Press, Texas Press Association
Sports Editor Tony Gallucci
City Editor Steve Gray
Campus Editor Jerry Geary
Photo Editor Jack Holm
Reporters Jim Crawley,
Sayeeful Islam, Mike Kimmey, Alan Killingsworth, Don Middleton, Jerry Need
ham, Nick Voinis, David Walker, John Zimmerman.
Photographers Gary Baldasari,
Kevin Fotorny, Jack Holm, Glen Johnson, Tom Kayser, David McCarroll, Steve
McGown, Chris Svatek.
Artists and cartoonists Dr. James H. Earle,
Nguyen Dziem, Brad Foster, Rodney Hammack.
Columnists Wi " Anderson,
Jerry Geary, Don Middleton, John Vanore
more than two in a petro chariot.
Maybe the incident last semester in
P. A. 61 could have been prevented.
Until ideas are communicated to
the elected officials and administra
tion, all we ll see generated is brick
walls and cowhide benches. There
fore, I plead with the student body
not to argue issues that can’t be re
versed, but to be an initiator of pol
icy.
David Grassbaugh
Tradition ousted?
Editor:
Most of us know by now that Stu
dent Government has enacted an
outrageous policy on football tickets
for next season. Instead of tradi
tional seating by class, we are now
encouraged to buy season tickets,
which would mean a senior has as
good a chance of getting an end zone
seat as a freshman. Maybe it’s not
too late to change this, but that is
not the point. The price of these
season tickets has been raised to
$17.50 without any notification.
True, the budget for the Athletic
Department was cut and an extra
$7.50 isn’t that much. But shouldn’t
we be told since we’re the ones who
must pay? Presumably, the first
notice we would get would be when
we preregister. My assumption is
based on the fact that I haven’t seen
any advertisement of the increase.
If I am in error, I would appreciate
clarification.
Doug Wright
(Editor’s note: The traditional
seniority system will remain intact
and football season tickets are $10.
See story, page 1.)
Presnal thanked
Editor:
We would like to express our
thanks to Mr. Presnal for his expla
nation of the “improvements” on
the Texas A&M campus. Changing
the image from a “cow college” to a
university, it seems, is the reason
ing behind tearing down some of the
traditions around campus.
As proud Aggies we disagree!
Pride is the basis of any good or
ganization, not appearance.
“Beauty is only skin deep. As we all
know, there isn’t much we can do to
alleviate some of the projects which
are in progress, but long after con
struction is finished and the work
crews have gone home, A&M will
remain the same old “cow college”
in spirit, if nothing else.
Speaking as Aggies, we’re damn
proud of it!!
J. P. (Pat) Mims
and three others
Parents 7 Day
Editor:
We have just finished reading
today’s Batt and would like to thank
you for your fine coverage of Par
ents’ Day review and especially for
the excellent coverage of Parson’s
Mounted Cavalry’s final review.
This lack of coverage of this new
A&M tradition makes us wonder
about the interests of the Battalion
staff.
Nancy Bumpers
Kim Lane
P.S. We also thank you for the fine
coverage of the traditional gathering
for Muster.
Gays ‘sick 7
Editor:
I’ve been going to A&M for four
years and I think this “gay aware
ness” is about the sickest thing I
have ever seen here. I’m a non-reg
but I am Aggie to the heart and I
think this gay stuff should stop be
fore it gets a good chance to start. I
am greatly offended by the gays’
mention of having students, profes
sors and the Corps among their
membership. I don’t see how any of
us can stand by and let these gays do
to A&M what they have already
done to tu. Even their signs in the |
Academic Building are of a sick kind
of perversion that just mock the rest
of us Ags. I believe as students we,
the non-regs and the Fightin’ Aggie
Corps, have a duty to find a way to
stop this kind of “psychopathologi-
cal” behavior before it has a chance
to ruin the people and traditions
that has made Texas A&M. If you
feel as I do, well then, speak up! You
are in the overwhelming majority —
let your voice be heard if you love
A&M!
Tom Crook
Earl Arto
THE TEJAS TRADING CO.
C0RRALES, NEW MEXICO
Proudly Presents
Mary and Frank McDaniel
Due to Popular Demand
A Return Showing
Guaranteed Authentic
Indian Jewelry
cno/ « MAY 1,2,3
DU /O OTT 1975 ONLY
P3
Chgpti
707 texas
846-9626
x
‘BluebonnetJfutflry by Baula
obcketi
<CTb>tV
•0*2
Q/UGnH)Ck£&
Unique pendants,
bracelets lockets, necklaces,
pins, earrings, tie tacks, cuff-links
and domed miniatures enck
featuring a single stem bluebonnet
fired on fine china.
Available at
© ,97 < &6 UrfkMirta&d.
Bryan,Z&w77gOf {7/3J823-52// J0.00-530 'Ze.-Sd.
AMERICAS FAVORITE PIZZA
Share a today...
PIZZA INN NO. 2
1803 Greenfield Plaza
Next to Bryan High
PIZZA INN No. 1 413 Texas Ave. S.
MSC Cafeteria
SWEET SHOP
now featuring
Beautiful, Taste Tempting
CAKES
Made to Order and
Decorated to Suit Your Individual Needs for
BIRTHDAYS WEDDINGS
And Other Special Occasions
Choose a delicious pie or cake from our attractive
display or place an order for your next special occasion
or call
845-1118
“QUALITY FIRST”
Jilm.