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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 27, 1976)
Page 2 THE BATTALION FRIDAY, FEB. 27, 1976 Vote, don’t bitch Those of you who bitch about the housing situation, the bars’ closing times, the lack of bike paths, the police, etcetera, now hav^ the chance to change the way things Texas A&M students can exert a strong influence in local politics, especially in a city the size of College Sta tion. On April 3, College Station voters will elect five coun- cilmen and a mayor. These are six of the seven positions on the law-making body of the city you live in. If you think that your hometown is still your place of residence, think of how much money you spend here. Through sales taxes, utility rates and property taxes (through housing costs), you are providing much of the operating capital for local government. You should exer cise your right to say how this money is spent. Even those students registered elsewhere can change their registration to Brazos County simply by filling out a registration card. The deadline for registering is Wednesday at 5 p.m. Student Government has made it even simpler by set ting up a table on the first floor of the Memorial Student Center to register voters. The table is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Registration to vote in Brazos County. Why not try it once? You might be surprised at what can happen. Jerry Needham Feiffer sou, UO00 CLAIM THAT TIMff A CHILP f&fiCHee - IhRtt ne AUREAPP FORMeP FOR LIFE. HAP 1UIS IfJF&RMATIOtO deCK) /AVAILABLE v TO MS EARUCR ' I UXXILP HAVE sees) a lot MORE OF V'OO. ptyc MU' UMiFAf**-**X»c*Te,H-rc BQT MV TIME UJAS TAKEU OP U)T\\ BUILPIV6 A CAREER- ED COHATEIER decOMES OF ‘rOO I WJT <rPP TO ktoooo IT'S YOUR MomeRT? FAULT I'M CLEAL). poor listed to TMCLEAD TOOT Concession fund too high Firecracker raid lights readers’ fuses Texas A&M University makes an exorbitant profit, $80,000 a year, from campus vending machines. The money from every fifth candy bar (20 cents) and every fourth coke (25 cents) goes directly to the University concessions account. Operation with such high commission is possible be cause the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Bryan is con tracted as the exclusive supplier, acting as a monopoly. The profit cleared is several times what the president and his handful of vice presidents and directors can reasonably use in one year. Their expenditures totaled $20,000 to $30,000 annually in recent years. The ad ministration appeases the students with a $1 per person per dorm allocation, $8,600 this year, benefiting only on-campus students. This situation is handled differently at UT Austin. Their $156,000 each year provides scholarships, tutoring, spe cial programs, supplement housing and food services budgets. A similar system should be applied at A&M. University officials need money for official matters and it may as well come from vending machines. But, the current method is unjust to the students and faculty who patronize the machines. The students at this or any other university do not have the power to take the account away from the administra tion. Besides, most students would not exercise the re sponsibility, to manage such a task. Fair solutions to the problem are: 1) Lower vending Machine prices so profits will meet University executives expenses without penalizing stu dents. Editor: In the last year, I have been a wit ness to the abolishment of many of the old “unsatisfactory” and “obso lete” Corps traditions and their re placement with various new and in novative ideas and policies. Tuesday night, I once again witnessed new and innovative ideas put into action, as a majority of the rooms in the Corps were searched in an unor ganized and haphazard method for who knows what — I wasn’t told, and without authority and/or consent from room occupants — and in some cases without their presence. I must say I am proud to be a member of an institution with an eye to the future — around 1984. Keep up the excellent police work gentle men, and lets keep those innovative ideas coming. Paul M. Sander ’78 its own security, which seldom, if ever, makes use of city services. The campus is dependent on city fire men, but I doubt that many students are qualified to advise them as to their jobs. Parking The sales taxes paid by students hardly equal the various city taxes paid by permanent residents. And in the long run, I probably pay more taxes to Bryan or even Houston. Semper ubi sub ubi. — Ed. Commend Or: 2) Take the excess two-thirds of the profits and return it to programs for the students. Ray Daniels Editor: I would like to commend the deci sion to make a search for the illegal fireworks in the Corps dorm area. Since the beginning of the semes ter, the use of firecrackers, bottle rockets, and other small explosives to make a loud noise and get a laugh seemed harmless. But it is not funny anymore. Homemade bombs have replaced these firecrackers, increas ing the danger of a person being in jured. I can understand the concern of permanent residents over the mass involvement of a transient student population. Students are here for an average of four years, as opposed to a lifetime spent here by the perma nent residents. And at every school vacation, when the students go “home”, the vast majority go some place other than College Station. Thus I can also understand, even in those much attached to the univer sity, the lack of interest in the city. Mary Hirsch ’79 Italia non est insula. — Ed. Editor, For years now off-campus stu dents have had the problem of park ing near campus. Seeing as there is NO parking on campus the students turned to the local driveways, side streets and of course, the very large and close parking area the Circle Drive In. For years these spots have been free to parkers putting at least one bright spot in the students al ready over worked bank balance. Now for the mere price of $5.00 a month one can park where was once free. To say this is outrageous would be one thing but you could add ridiculous, stupid, antagonistic and last but by far not the least — a costly annoyance. The “money hungry” people of this University and com bined cities are really disgusting. So in this writing I am asking if it would be possible for those students who once used the Circle Drive In to now boycott it’s parking area. Maybe, just A Film by Conrad Rookie cic Marcht |on” wi Rudder TheatMi,,, 1 '' 8p.m. Birecto |r pdnc: $1 and TAMliavailal ID jfttf makei , fil/tBneede R Bill Mauldin ' Thank <5o<l for A Society where they respect their leAders/' I feel it is more important to con sider the health of innocent persons than to try and protect the privacy rights of those in possession of the illegal explosives. The judgment of individuals to act now on this prob lem will save added trouble if there were no action at all and serious in jury was done. Aggie Cinema presents a Bargain Matinee Paint Your Wagon There might have been another solution instead of a search, which was certain to bring cries of “invasion of privacy” and “unfair treatment. ” The entire situation could have been ignored and the problem might have gone away. But, doesn’t it make bet ter sense to remove the origin of the problem now and enforce the rules as they should be? Joan Brumfield, ’76 Errare humanum est. — Ed. Isolation Editor, As regards one of the Thursday, Feb. 18 editorials: I fail to see wby the students at Texas A&M should be involved in city politics in College Station. It has been pointed out that students shop in College Station and subsequently pay sales taxes, and that the campus makes use of city police and fire facilities. For those students that live off-campus and in the city proper, and/or those who plan to make permanent homes here, I think city involvement is valid. starring Clint Eastwooc & Lee Marvin There IS a difference!! *» But the campus itself is practically an independent community. It has 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. Represented nationally by National Educational Advertising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. The 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 $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per school year; $35.00 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. 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. 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. Address correspondence to Listen Up, The Battalion, Room 217, Services Building, College Station, Texas 77843. 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. MEMBER Managing Editor News Editor City Editor Contributing Editors Sports Editor Photo Director Staff Writers Carolyn Blosser, Ray Daniels, Pat Edmondson, Tony Gallucci, Paula Geye Lee Roy Leschper, Jerry Needham, Mark Penny James Breedlove Roxie Hearn Pam Whigham Jim Peters Sandy Russo, Steve Gray Paul McGrath Douglas Winship Over 35 years of experience and success PREPARE FOR: ★MCA! DAT LSAT GRE GMAT OCAT CPAT VAT SAT FLEX ECFMG # NAT L MED. 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