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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 11, 1975)
th a ; vi' D. th Q< po liv to ow is ' pe< aiK doi Aki Koi B nov Offi Ser are faci leas Page 2 THE BATTALION 1 TUESDAY, NOV. 11, 1975 What news rates best coverage? By ROXIE HEARN Assistant Editor One ofThe Battalion’s main prob lems this week was news emphasis — deciding which stories should be most prominent. After the overwhelming defeat of the proposed Texas Constitution, The Battalion played up the Coun ty’s rejection but completely ig nored the more surprising fact that College Station was one of the few cities in the state to approve it. The voting precinct map was an excellent idea, but it appeared much later than it should have. Since Tuesday’s paper doesn’t reach the stands until 2 p.m. many stu dents had already gone through other channels to get their informa tion, or had simply decided not to bother with voting at all. Friday’s leading story was defi nitely overplayed. No doubt the Student Government Judicial Board’s denial of the appeal should have appeared in the paper, but not as the top news story. Possibly the plans for a Milner Hall renovation would have been a better choice; PFANUTS Pear Spike, Thank you for inviting me to have Thanksgiving dinner with you and the coyotes. A It sounds like fun. However.... h How do I know 'the coyotes won’t eat ME ? rmMr2\ ^ since there have been so many rumors about the project. As it was, the Milner plans were incorporated in a 3-inch story on page 3. The same J. Board story drew another justifiable complaint: the first paragraph did not reflect factual reporting. “Justice at A&M has a time limit” was not a decision made by the board, but an opinion held by the writer. It had no place in the news columns. Another story that should have been reported was the Rice ticket system. Many students waited in line the whole weekend, never realizing that all the tickets would be general admission, no matter what the buyer’s classification. A&M’s allotment stretches from the 50-yard line into the horseshoe, so there is also little chance of running short. This week’s Battalions were also weak in their identification of politi cal figures and political bodies. In Tuesday’s front page article on Texas Representative Bill Presnal, reference is made to the “Texas Ap propriations Committee.’ No such group exists. It should have been either the Texas House or Texas Senate Appropriations Commit tee. On the same page, John Ander son is referred to as a Congressman, so readers concluded that he was a federal representative, but nowhere in the article was his home state reported. In Friday’s paper, two short stories in ‘Top of the News” were guilty of the same type of error. The “House Ways and Means Commit tee” was referred to, but the story failed to mention whether it was the state or federal body. In the second news brief, Mark White was labeled “Secretary of State” — again, a distinction should have been made between White and Henry Kissinger. Another complaint this week concerned the liberal use of legal terms in news reporting. Writers should be able to filter through technical jargon and present facts in easily understood sentences. Tues day’s leading story stated that a school board had approved “the execution of a legal order calling for a bond issue.” In simple terms, the board voted to call for a bond issue. A few parag raphs later, the district’s present bonds would be “retired, ” causing a drop in the tax rate. What does “re tired” mean? Used up, paid off. Substituting either of those terms would have cleared up many ques tions and misconceptions. Two other items: The headline “Toby Rives helps students through personal contact” made A&M’s as sistant director of student affairs sound like some sort of masseuse, but her “personal contact” is defi nitely through counseling and ad- vice. Another large headline boldly spelled congestion with a “j” instead of a “g.” Not too swift there. 'THIS IS GOING 10 GOST v rOU A BUNDLE/ Editor, Inflation is a fact of life we all live with daily, and as students on tight budgets, prices can be horrendous to our life styles. How is inflation combated? Some compaines and organizations fight inflation by rais ing their prices while others decide not to raise theirs, thus taking a slightly less profit margin. Unfortunately, a certain campus organization has decided that the students it serves do not matter and so it keeps raising its prices. I lov ingly speak of the MSC cafeteria, a student service I feel is serving highly inflated meals at under in flated servings for the prices they ask. Since I first arrived at this cam pus, the price of the MSC’s daily special has increased 20 cents. Not a tremendous amount of money you say. However, consider that one more price increase will bring up the items served you on the special to what they would cost ala carte. All around one sees signs asking you to please bus your own trays to hold down costs. What happened? Their motto is “Quality First and it is quite good, however, it sure isn t quantity. Have you ever noticed how the person serving you is afraid of giving you too mucb? Or the way they kind of spread your main dish around on your plate, so it looks like a lot? Why for the prices they charge, they won’t even give you a package of crackers with your soup or a pat of margarine with a roll. However the final indignation is what they charge for milk. Based on a price of 25 cents for a % pint car ton, it figures that the students are paying approximately 4 dollars a gal lon for milk. What makes this appal ling is the fact that their milk is pas teurized, processed and bottled right here on campus. Someone, somewhere, is getting too much for too little. Allan Stern Batt is voice Editor, As a periodic reader of the Batt, I wondered why this year’s issues seemed void of any articles similar to last year’s expose of money spent 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 Regents. The Battal ion is a non-profit, self-supporting enterprise operated by stu dents as a university and community newspaper. Editorial policy is determined by the editor. LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit such letters and does not guaran tee to publish any letter. Each letter must be signed, show the address of the writer and list a telephone number for verifica tion. Address correspondence to Listen Up, The Battalion, Room 217, Services Building, College Station, Texas 77843. MEMBER The Associated Press, Texas Press Association Editor James Breedlove! Assistant Editor Roxie Hearn Members of the Student Publications Board are: Bob G. Rogers, Chairman; Dr. Gary Halter; Dr. John Hanna; Roger P. Miller; Dr. Clinton A. Phillips, Jeff Dunn, Tom Dawsey and Jerri Ward. Director of Student Publications: Gael L. Cooper. City Editor Campus Editor Sports Editor Photography Director . . . .Steve Gray . .Sandy Russo .Paul McGrath . . . .Jack Holm =Ct== 29V fos?* Streetl 37‘5 gfUT 2.9-Qt'S'lft'ttXj Tt>WM 4 COONlfUj CiMT q©jA2* iK * jw y /A € ‘Y’i-Scr eh-ViVitvA daiW ? EMBREY’S JEWELRY LAY AWAY NOW FROM OUR BIG SELECTION OF POCKET WATCHES, BEFORE THE CHRISTMAS RUSH. 415 UNIVERSITY DR. COLLEGE STATION 9:00-5:30 M0N.-SAT. on the MSC. Could it be that all was well in Aggieland? That hopeful dream was quickly shattered when I read Tony Gallucci’s ad in the Nov. 7 Batt. The reason the paper read like an ad for a detergent was be cause control of its operations had been taken over by the very people it attacked. This situation is analog ous to the hypothesis of Nixon tak ing over the Washington Post in order to preserve his office. No news is not always good news. Last year the administration feared budgetary cutbacks due to the turmoil of the MSC construc tion, caused primarily by Batt re porters. Unfortunately, the goal of their reporting, forcing the ad ministration to consider students rights, was not met. Instead, the administration quietly plucked the burr from its side by indirectly tak ing over the paper. The injustice of that is fairly obvious. Many students may not care about this; but I ask them, who will we turn to next time we have a complaint. Our main tool of criticism has been stripped from us. Now our campus newspaper deals with “Gigag” and problems of such worldwide importance as the ticket distribution system. Remember, as Gallucci tells us, the Batt is our paper and we pay the salaries of the administration. We have a right to run it as we see fit. We ve lost our voice, let’s get it back. Bob Limbacher Aggietoons nfYV), I SP£f\)T POOR solid oeess rosearchiajoI THIS PRPE.R- GJRlTIILKb AlUD REDRITIfUGl Represented nationally by National Educational Advertising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. Tbe Battalion, a student newspaper at Texas A&M, is published in College Station, Texas, daily except Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and holiday periods. Sep tember through May, and once a week during summer school. Mail subscriptions are $5.00 per semester; $9.50 per school year; $10.50 per full year. All subscriptions subject to 5% sales tax. Advertising rate furnished on request. Address: The Battalion, Room 217, Services Building, College Station, Texas 77843. The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatched credited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous origin published herein. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein are also reserved. Second-Class postage paid at College Station, Texas. NOW, BRYAN- COLLEGE STATION HAS KORA FM stereo 98 COUNTRY LOVIN’ ..it’s natural listenin! GOING SOMEPLACE...TOGETHER? GO GREYHOUND CHARTER AND LEAVE THE PLANNING TO US! Greyhound Charter takes a char ter trip out of the ordinary ... for any group. There’s air-conditioning, rest rooms, roomy reclining seats, tinted picture windows . . . the works! All atan easy-on-the-budget price. Just tell us where you want to go ... and where to pick you up. We’ll do the rest. CHARTER US THE BUS. Greyhounds For information and jrey hound’s with America Price schedule, call 1300 Texas Ave 823-8071 GO GREYHOUND ■and leave the drivino to us HOI l«x«s Survey ‘binds, but binds whom? /> I- h i Student says MSC prices high, quality good, but servings small By SANDY RUSSO Campus Editor Another survey by student government is being held on ticket distribution. SG says it is binding; but binding on whom? Certainly not on the people who really matter, namely the ad ministration and the athletic department. Both these decision-making bodies use student government only as an advisory board, little more than a group that tells its own opinion. The referendum is being held to allow students to tell “the powers that be what they really want. Well students, the best way to do that is to write a letter to Wally Groff or President J. K. Williams. Send it campus mail and save yourself a dime. Post it in the Reed McDonald Building. Student government in its wording of the referendum made a serious mistake. It pretended that the students could return to last year’s system. Forget that. If the administration and the athletic department had thought it was workable, last year’s system would never have been abandoned. What is a workable ticket distribution system? If student govern ment had done its homework, which would be surprising in a case where the old must give way to the new, the referendum would give some realistic choices. One such choice would he: Would you be willing to pay $5 for a 50-yard line seat, with a reduced price for poorer seats? Another reasonable choice: Would you be willing to scramble fora seat in the student block of seats on a first come-first served basis the day of the game? Another possible choice: Would y ou be willing to do away with the student services fees and support athletics on a user fee system? There are definite drawbacks to all of these. The first would mean the wealthy would get the good seats while the poor would go to the knothole. The second would mean all-night camp-outs on the grounds in front of Kyle Field. The third would be most tenuous for the athletic department because they couldn’t plan from one season to the next. Make student government what it should be. Aggressive in dealing with the administration and realistic in its approach. Demand that the administration listen to students by goingdirectly to the root of the problem, in this case the athletic department. Finally, as a student body , make y ourself visible. The silent major ity is one thing, but 25,0(X) adults shouldn t be pushed around by a group of administrators who think they know what’s best for the “poor young student. Brad Foster McLaughlin’s of corpus christi THE BEST HAIRCUT OF YOUR LIFE OR YOUR MONEY BACK We truly believe that no other men’s or ladies' hair stylist in College Station is so dedicated to the art of beauti ful hair sculpture as McLaughlin’s. We cost a little more (Artists don’t come cheap.) But we are very good. For proof we make this offer: Let us cut your hair. Wear it for 10 days. If you’re not showered with compliments we ll happily refund your money. CALL 846-5764 FOR APPOINTMENT 1403 UNIVERSITY DR. COLLEGE STATION THE GREATEST SANDWICH The greatest sandwiches in the Southwest are served from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day Monday through Friday on floor 11M, Conference Tower. The greatness of these sand wiches is no accident. There are several types of meats and you can select your choice and mix or match any three pieces for your sandwich on the bread of your choice. Two of the several types of bread are sour dough and baked fresh daily in our Duncan bakery. Further, these breads are prepared without shortening for the diet conscious guest. For the greatest taste tempting delight just make your sandwich exactly like you want it and pop it into one of the handy micro-wave ovens. This wonderful sandwich and a bowl of soup for only $1.50 plus tax will place you on cloud 11M. We agree this is a bit of a long story, but it is difficult to stop talking about our tasty sandwiches. Open Sunday 11:00 A.M*. -1:30 P.M. for regular meal only. “QUALITY FIRST”