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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 1977)
The Battalion Vol. 70 No. 76 12 Pages Wednesday, February 16, 1977 College Station, Texas News Dept. 845-2611 Business Dept. 845-2611 ule may increase student suspensions By WENDY TAYLOR tudent suspensions may increase be- se of Texas Atty. Gen. John Hill’s recent ing on student’s rights to their tran- ipts. 'he ruling says students cannot be de- d a copy of their transcript if they owe ney to the University. The University will have to take some recourse in order to guarantee re- uption of funds,” Dr. John J. Koldus, president for student services said last idnesday. “Before, we had the options lot allowing students to graduate, with- ing their transcripts or blocking ollment. What’s left now but suspen- i?” )ne of the Student Service staff mem- upset by Hill’s ruling is Dr. Charles Powell, director of student affairs, ell said Friday that Hill’s ruling is typ- of legislation originally thought favor ing students, but when applied proves disadvan tageous. “This ruling won’t help students,” Pow ell insisted. “It’s going to hurt them. The way the laws are written today makes the counseling service inflexible. Where be fore we could try to work through the problem with the student, whether it be money or what, now we re going to be forced to come down harder on him to in sure payment.” Powell said Hill’s ruling has taken away the University’s only deterrent against de btors — the transcript. The transcript has to be cleared by the Registrar’s Office before a student can graduate. The student needs the tran script to transfer to another university, and to apply for graduate school. Fre quently the transcript is also required as a job reference. “Hill had no idea what he was doing. None of them (lawmakers) ever do when they make a ruling like this,” Powell said. Powell explained that the University’s previous procedure of handling debtors depended on the debt. “If it were a great amount of traffic fees or something of this nature, we’d try to hold them until payment was possible, usually to the end of the semester or even right up to graduation,” Powell said. “If the debt involves room and board pay ment, it’s the University’s policy to sus pend, but only after a long period of time when nothing else could be worked out.” Powell said instances of such suspen sions have been few. “Before, it’s just been an unnecessary thing to do,” he said. He explained that Hill’s ruling could change all that. “It’s going to put those students owing money more into a financial bind” he said. “We re going to have to hit them up for payment earlier or we’ll be forced to take the ultimate recourse—suspension. We just can’t afford to carry them on any longer.” Powell said he’s afraid the majority of the students will favor the ruling without considering its implications. He said he expects many students to try to get past the suspension through legal appeals. “Unfortunately,” Powell pointed out, “they just don’t win many of these, but they don’t know that. I’m afraid they’re going to have find out about this ruling the hard way.” Powell questioned the authority of Hill’s ruling. “Just because Hill ruled on it does not make it law,” Powells said. “A ruling is not a law, it’s just one man’s interpretation of that law. It has to be tested before it be comes a law, and in order for that to hap pen a court must rule on it.” Powell said it could be as long as a year before that ruling occurs. “But sooner or later, it will be tested,” he said. Until then, Koldus said the ruling prob ably will not have any immediate effect on the University unless it incurs a significant increase in delinquent payments. “Then you can bet the fiscal office would waste no time recommending suspen sions,” he said. Powell added that the broader implica tions of the ruling are just as devastating to universities as the apparent ones. “This ruling can reach even further,” he said. “It can be interpreted to imply we can’t block records. Then we couldn’t re fuse readmission to a student previously suspended for failure to pay his debts. From there it could be said to mean we can’t refuse students any other University services for failure to meet their financial obligations.” roblem getting worse tray animals burden inadequate facilities By SUSIE WILLIAMS ncreasing numbers of stray animals in Bryan-College Station area are putting arden on the Humane Society of Brazos mty(HSBC), a society spokesman said day. ack of funds prevents HSBC from of- ng food and shelter to stray dogs and in the B-CS area, according to Kathy aec, a board member of HSBC. And ice records show that about 1,800 ysin Bryan and 517 in College Station picked up in 1976. The problem is getting worse because ther city has the facilities to handle the yanimals,” Nemec said, lollege Station does not have a pound, city uses the Anderson Ridge Veteri- y Clinic at 1101 Anderson as a holding iforits stray animals. Bryan’s pound is small to handle the number of incom- animals. lemec said that individual HSBC nbers had been taking strays into their les. However, the number of strays grown so much they had to discon- ie this practice. ght now the stray animals not re- med by their owners or adopted by pie looking for pets are donated to the A&M College of Veterinary dicine. The animals are either disposed )y euthanasia (putting to death pain- or are used to train veterinary stu- its. “The only times the vet school disposes of an animal by euthanasia is when the owner requests it or the school knows there is no hope of survival for the ani mal,” said Noberto Espitia, supervisor of the small animal clinic in an interview last week. Animals that have fatal diseases or have broken backs as a result of automobile ac cidents are two examples of animals that would be disposed of by euthanasia, he said Owners of the animals or people wish ing to adopt a pet from the pound have a certain amount of time in which to do so. The maximum length of time College Sta tion holds an animal is three days. Bryan holds its animals eight days. “HSBC has placed all its energies for the past year in trying to get an animal shelter built here,” Nemec said. Ann Barrow, president of HSBC, said Sunday that the society has been unsuc cessful in dealing with the Bryan City Council on the shelter project. She also doubts the society will get a shelter from the College Station Council. Barrow said the HSBC is trying to build a shelter using private funds. She feels it has the best chance this way. “The shelter would provide facilities for spaying and neutering animals to reduce unwanted breeding,” Barrow said. Kent Caperton, Bryan attorney and former assistant to Hill, said Monday he believed the ruling to be misunderstood by the University and defended Hill’s de- “A large majority of people do not understand the basis of an attorney gener al’s rulings,” Caperton said. “They’re not always his personal opinions. They’re usu ally based on court decisions that have been upheld in the past, and what will probably be upheld in the future. Of course, there’s always the chance he’s wrong, but I have a great opinion for the attorney general’s interpretations.” James H. Colvin, vice president for business affairs at the University of Texas, requested Hill’s opinion when two former students were denied copies of their tran scripts. Student flu cases fill Battalion photo by Tracie Nordheim Tennis facility under construction Eight varsity and 14 practice tennis courts have been under construction since Jan. 1 and are expected to be completed Jan. 1, 1978. The tennis complex, which will also include stands to seat 600 people, showers, storage facilities and office space, will cost about $710,000. legislators debate farm tax proposal United Press International IUSTIN — Admidst epitaphs for the all farmer and warnings of suburban gration, the Texas House has formed ssfor its first urban-rural confrontation, louse members today planned to con- tie debate on a proposal by Rep. Bill livant, D-Gainesville, to tax farmland ording to productivity. The House yesterday adjourned with- voting on the measure to allow corn- tees to hear testimony on controversial coal slurry pipeline and public school fi nance legislation. Sen. Bill Moore, D-Bryan, said he would try again to bring up for Senate con sideration his bill to prevent insurance companies from penalizing drivers tick eted for driving 55-70 miles per hour. Moore yesterday was two votes short of the four-fifths majority needed for Senate debate. However, three senators were ab sent, and Moore said he will try again to day. Sullivant said his proposal, supported by rural lawmakers, would protect agricul tural farmland and keep it productive. Opponents claimed the plan would force suburban homeowners to subsidize taxes normally paid by farmers and sub stantially reduce tax collections, thereby hurting public school finances. “What’s happening in Texas is you’re driving the little farmer out of business,” Sullivant said. “Only big corporations that are able to subsidize farms from some other businesses will be able to maintain farms near metropolitan areas.” Rep. Joe Robbins, D-Lubbock, said 50 per cent of the undeveloped land within the Lubbock city limits would qualify as agricultural land under Sullivant’s plan. He said city, county, school and hospital tax districts would lose three-fourths of their tax base on the undeveloped land. “The American urban homesteader has a problem — big tax burdens,” said Rep. Tony Polumbo, D-Houston, who con tended the plan also would close many “mom and pop” groceries that could not afford added tax burdens. The House defeated an attempt by Rep. Ron Waters, D-Houston, to postpone con sideration of the bill for one month. Waters said lawmakers needed more time to consider the bill’s effects on school taxes. The House then approved an amend ment by Rep. John Bryant, D-Dallas, de signed to prevent large corporations from buying agricultural land and using it for marginal operations. “What are you and I, who are not farm ers, going to do for food if we keep turning farmlands into concrete parking lots?” Sul livant asked. “I’m not trying to make money for the farmer,” Sullivant said. T’m trying to make it easier for him to stay on the land and produce food and fiber. If it takes a corporation or corporate structure to provide us with our food and fiber then I see no reason we should discriminate against this type of enterprise.” Beutel beds By JAN BAILEY Battalion Staff An influenza epidemic is responsible for filling most of the beds at the A.P. Beutel Health Center, said Dr. Claude Goswick, director of the student health center. The epidemic began about two weeks ago. Goswick said no statistics are kept on the number of influenza cases treated each day, but he estimated that of the 500 stu dents examined at the health center Monday, 300 to 350 were flu cases. He said 40 of the hospital’s 44 available beds were filled last Monday with a great majority of flu patients. Goswick said the number has been fluctuating, but this weekend more than 35 beds were filled. He said a Texas A&M University Medi cal School virologist, John Quarles, has tested the virus that is infecting most of the flu patients, and identified the sick ness as either the A-Yictoria or the B-Hong Kong strain. Goswick said it is not an epidemic of swine flu that some federal health officials had predicted for this winter. Goswick said there is no specific number of cases that must be confirmed before declaring an epidemic. He did say, however, that the students’ illness now is in epidemic proportions. “In a sense we always have mini epidemics going on around here,” Gos wick explained. He blamed this on the close living conditions and general life style of students. Goswick identified the symptoms of this type of flu as a headache, sore throat, muscle aches, fever and a general feeling of illness. He suggested the standard med ical advice for flu—drink lots of fluids, get plenty of rest and take aspirin. He said that little else would help, and that an tibiotics were of no value in such cases. Goswick said the average case lasts from 36 to 48 hours, although some have lasted a week. He said that most of those patients kept at the hospital were there only a few days, mostly to insure proper care and rest- Goswick said this is an airborne type of flue that can be avoided by following some common sense health precautions. He warned students to avoid close contact with those who have the illness. “I can almost promise you it will last until spring break,” he said. When asked if this was a psychological or physical reac tion, the doctor laughed and said, “Both...the students are happy and they take their germs home. Highway bill up for consideration United Press International AUSTIN — A Senate committee has voted to give a subcommittee two weeks to decide which is more important: schools or highways. The Senate Finance Committee yester day was considering Gov. Dolph Briscoe’s $561 million highway bill, but critics said if the bill passed there would be no money left to fund teacher salary increases. “If we don’t do something to improve these roads we re going to be in worse trouble now than Mississippi was 15 years ago,” said Sen. William Moore, D-Bryan, who sponsored the bill in the Senate. “The issue is whether we’re going to fund these highways or give the school teachers all they think they need.” Grace Grimes, president of the Texas State Teachers Association, said teachers were not opposed to good roads but want legislators to look at all state needs before designating money for highways. “Education has the same problems that Power station to be ready June 1 Looking for a job? The Career Planning and Placement Office on the 10th floor of the Rudder Tower is a good place to start. Paul Tyler, a senior management major, uses the employer information section of the Placement Office library to acquaint himself with the opportunities he may have with certain com panies. The library also helps students to prepare for interviews that are arranged for students attending Texas A&M University. (See story in tomorrows Battalion for more information on the Placement Office.) Battalion photo by Kevin Venner College Station city officials hope to have an electrical power substation with one 25 megawatt transformer in service by June 1, City Manager North Bard ell said Monday. “The substation will be capable of han dling three 25 megawatt transformers, so therefore the substation should be able to handle College Station’s projected load for six to seven years” Bardell said. He said the city probably would need 42 megawatts this summer, and between 50 to 52 megawatts in the summer of 1979. The substation marks a change in the city’s power supplier. The city has pre viously contracted with Bryan, but when Bryan’s electric rates and fuel charges in creased, College Station officials looked elsewhere for power, Bardell said. In 1976 the city signed a contract with Gulf States Utilities to supply electricity. The city will supplement electricity from Gulf States with electricity from Bryan until a complete switchover to Gulf States can be made. “Gulf States will be able to deliver power for less than Bryan can,” Bardell said. “Under current rates, if we were on Gulf States today, we would be saving in wholesale power costs between $3,000 and $6,000 a day.” Bardell said the substation will be lo cated near the intersection of Highway 30 and the east bypass. He added that the city has negotiated a contract to construct a permanent switch ing station by 1979 that will tie into the Gulf States transmission line 700 feet east of the east bypass. A temporary switching station should be built by June 1, Bardell —Darrell Lanford the highway department has — reduced purchasing power and increased needs,” she said. Moore asked the Finance Committee to approve the highway bill for full Senate debate, but Sen. A.R. Schwartz, D-Galveston, won the 8-4 vote to send the bill to a subcommittee for two weeks, subcommittee for two weeks. Lt. Gov. William Hobby, a chief critic of the bill, was summoned to Briscoe’s of fice shortly before the committee hearing began. “He said he wants his bill,” Hobby said. “I said, well it’s being considered.” Comptroller Bob Bullock told the com mittee approving a special $561 million al location for roads would leave only $792 million in the state treasury to provide additional aid to public schools and fund teacher pay raises and pensions. Weather Clear and mild today with tem peratures in the low 60s. Low to night in the high 30s. Partly cloudy and mild tomorrow with a high in the upper 60s. Winds will be southeasterly at 5-8 mph today through tomorrow with no precipi tation forecasted.