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. B’DS NAT’L DENTAL B’DS
*MCAT CLASSES AVAILABLE
TAPE SESSIONS
ONLY
•
Voluminous home
study materials
Courses that are
constantly updated
k
EDUCATIONAL CENTER
TEST PREPARATION
SPECIALISTS SINCE 1938
11300 N. CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY!
DALLAS, TEXAS 75231
CALL FOR INFORMATION NOW
214/ 750-0317
Branches m Mafor U.S. Citirs
Top of the Tower
Texas A&M University
Pleasant Dining — Great Vieu
SERVING LUNCHEON BUFFET
11:00 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.
Each day except Saturday
$2.50 DAILY
$3.00 SUNDAY
Serving soup & sandwich
11:00 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.
Monday - Friday
$1.50 plus drink
Available Evenings
For Special
University Banquets
Department of Food Service
Texas A&M University
“Quality First”
11
‘Jl