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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 1978)
I The Battalion Vol. 71 No. 117 10 Pages Monday, March 20, 1978 College Station, Texas News Dept. 845-2611 Business Dept. 845-2611 Inside Monday: Number of teen runaways increas ing in Brazos County, p. 6. Aggies take two from Texas, p. 8. Olsen Field near completion, p. 9. pouthern Lebanon taken Israeli sweep, U.N. forces brdered to curb invasion is 39 19' ; 1.5' 1.6' 5< United Press International Israeli forces today controlled virtually [ebanon south of Syrian lines and U.N. [e-keeping troops were rushing to take Jositions in the war zone, la New York, the U.N. Security Coun- Junday demanded Israel’s withdrawal Lebanon and Israeli Prime Minister iachem Begin arrived from Middle talks with President Carter. In a sweeping offensive Sunday, Israeli jes rolled west on the three major roads a their positions in southern Lebanon, angto within three to five miles of the rt of Tyre and doubling the size of a mile-wide “security belt they had «l't, sraeli military sources said. They also advanced to within I line-gun range of the Litani River, the called “red line” that marks the under- lod boundary between Israeli forces and 130,000 Syrian troops who ended (anon’s civil war. 'alestinian guerrillas fought a rear- rd action against the Israeli forces as imvasion entered its sixth day, but Is- IfefFectively controlled the entire deep ith with the exception of Tyre, is the Israelis tightened the noose d Tyre, thousands of refugees fled toward Beirut in panic to escape the ing and shelling in battle zones. ie Security Council, in a rare display animity, voted 12-0 to demand Is is withdrawal from Lebanon and send a -man U.N. peace-keeping force to up a buffer zone along the border, je council said the first contingent of eace-keeping force would begin g today, but it was unclear where yjwould take up positions and whether ir arrival would prompt an Israeli with- first contingent of troops were to edes and Austrians drawn from U.N. s in the Sinai Desert and Golan ts. They have a six-month renew- andate. told a news conference on his ar- In New York he had his own proposal luaranteeing Israel’s security, which )uld discuss with Carter in Washing- jginning Tuesday. understand the Security Council adopted a resolution,” ;in said. But to us, the main issue is nd we are going to discuss this in hington as well — how to prevent e bands which were driven out of hern Lebanon from coming back to e bases so they can’t attack Israel and citizens. ’hat must not happen again,” he said. S. figures indicate that at least 700 Danese and Palestinians have been ed in the fighting in southern Leba- PLO officials said 144 guerrillas and anese leftist militiamen had died, el said 15 of its soldiers had been Some 60,000 Palestinains and 100,000 Lebanese were left homeless. Western diplomats in Beirut feared that the scope of the conflict could be enlarged unless the crisis is speedily contained. The Soviet daily Pravda also warned that “other Arab states” could become in volved in the fighting unless Israel with drew quickly. Eight Arab states backed an Arab League call for a summit meeting, but Syria called for an Arab hard-liner meet ing. Social security protest spurs House action United Press International WASHINGTON — Sentiment is growing in Congress to give Americans at least a partial reprieve from rising Social Security taxes. Proposals to roll back the increases voted in December are being pressed in both houses. Speaker Thomas O’Neill has told the White House the feeling against the in creases is now so strong that unless the administration comes up with a proposal it could live with, the House will write and pass one of its own. What prompted all this was a near “taxpayers’ revolt” many congressmen say they found when they went home after passing a bill in December to finance Social Security into the next century. The protests, they reported, comes mainly from relatively well-to-do taxpayers rather than poor ones. Under the bill, a $10,000-a-year worker’s Social Security tax will rise only $8 in 1979. But a $23,000 worker’s tax will rise $332.92 or $260.32 more than it would have risen automatically under existing law. “The letters aren’t coming from the $8 people,” said one congressional aide. “They’re coming from doctors, lawyers and businessmen.” Most of the proposals now being discussed would reduce Social Security payroll taxes — borne equally by employers and employees — by financing part of the payouts from general revenues. Proponents believe that would reduce inflation and increase employment, since payroll taxes discourage hiring and also are passed on to consumers as part of product cost. They also believe it would be fairer, since the income tax burden is slbifted to the wealthy more than are payroll taxes. But Social Security pensions have been financed from employer-employee con tributions since they began in 1935. Medicare and disability insurance, which became part of Social Security in later years, have been financed the same way. House Republicans, meanwhile, say their plan the House rejected last year could have solved the whole problem. It included putting federal employees under Social Security, shifting Medicare funds to other parts of the program, and eventually increasing the full retirement age from 65 to 68. Springs in the air Battalion photo by Susan Webb Kicking up one’s heels is one way to celebrate the Houston’s Hermann Park Zoo seems to anticipate end of a long, cold winter. This grizzly bear in tomorrow’s first spring day. Housing policies Freshmen required to live on campus but 75% don’t for lack of dorm space By CHRIS PICCIONE Seventy-five percent of Texas A&M University’s entering freshmen who desire dorm spaces are forced to live off campus because of the lack of on-campus housing. But according to the Texas A&M under- rtesy Building designed to conserve energy Texas A&M University’s new academic and agency building will be con structed on an east-west axis, at a 45-degree angle to all the other buildings, for one reason: energy conservation. Such placement of the building allows for optimum solar orientation, says architects for Koetter, Tharp, Cowell & Bartlett, the Houston firm designing the building. With more than 250,000 square feet of floor space, the six-story academic and agency building will be one of the largest facilities on campus. It is expected to cost about $15 million. The building will house the College of Business Administration, English Department, Institute of Statistics, Texas Transportation Institute (ITT), Texas Real Estate Research Center (TRERC), Texas A&M Research Foun dation and remote facilities for the Data Processing Center. “This building addresses two major problems facing Texas A&M: priority space heeds in the academic areas — particularly in the College of Business Administration, which is now divided among several buildings, and the English Department — and the aspect of accommodating state agencies, such as TT1 and TRERC, for which we are responsible,” said Texas A&M President Jarvis E. Miller. The facility, to be located on the east side of the campus, is expected to be ready for use in 1981. graduate catalogue, “single students at tending the University are required to re side on campus. Off campus permission may be granted on a semester basis only when facilities are not available in Univer sity housing.” “The number of freshmen having to live off campus is a concern we all share,” said John Koldus, vice president of student services. A committee comprised of Koldus, Ron Sasse, assistant director of student affairs, Karen Switzer, student development coordinator, and the residence hall staff are investigating the shortage of housing now available to freshmen. “It would be difficult to change the pol icy now for next fall because it would be unfair to the people on the waiting list,” said Koldus. The committee is now considering four proposals. The first is an increase in the percentage of the number of freshmen admitted on campus. Under the present policy, 70 percent of available dorm space is allotted to freshmen each fall. This per centage provides a type of insurance for freshmen. Without any priorities, upper classmen now residing in dormitories might fill all the spaces. “Finding the appropriate number is a guessing game,” said Koldus. Ron Sasse is continuing to evaluate the percentage, and trying to determine the correct number of freshmen we should admit on campus,” he said. Under another proposal, all dormitory spaces would be drawn in an annual lot tery. A student would not know from year to year whether or not he was living on campus. Sasse said this type of system would cause an “administrative night mare, because there would be no con tinuity in the residence halls.” A third idea would limit the number of years a student could live in a residence hall. This would cause inconveniences for students who choose to live on campus for financial reasons or lack of transportation. A fourth proposal would create an all freshman dormitory. Sasse said this segre gation would result in a lack of up perclassmen serving as role models. This would also inconvenience many upper classmen who prefer dormitory life. “A freshman dorm would be contrary to the A&M class priority system,” said Kol dus. Unlike the football ticket allocation, freshmen would have first priority. The purpose of residence halls is to help students make the transition from high school to college life and to perpetrate the Aggie spirit,” said Sasse. “It’s hard enough to make the transition without apartment hassles putting pressure on the new stu dent. It’s a shame that we’ve got students who’ve made the transition and won’t move off campus.” Residence halls, including those in the Corps area, can house 8,600 students. Last fall there were 1,800 vacancies. For the 5,000 incoming freshmen, there was on- campus space for 1,250. Between 1,100 and 1,200 of these spaces were in male residence halls. The lack of on-campus housing affects the number of freshmen who attend Texas A&M. Many students say they go elsewhere because they are unable to live on campus. Administrators also are faced with feedback from parents who are un happy because A&M lacks adequate on- campus housing. And although the exact number cannot be determined, Sasse said, many out-of- state students do not attend A&M because of this problem. Sasse said he would like to see an apartment-type complex built for students on campus.” Switzer, faculty adviser for the Off- Campus Student Association, (OCSA), said she would like to see freshmen get acquainted in a residence hall situation. “That would give the freshmen a chance to meet a few probable roommates,” she said. Freshmen who were allowed to live on campus would also be aware of student activities. Switzer said that when the stu dent later moves off campus, he could con tinue being involved in activities such as OCSA. The rule requiring freshmen to live on campus is loose and flexible because of the great housing demand. But the problem of defining a “freshman” also complicates this mandatory freshman housing policy. It would not be feasible for a wife and mother returning to school, or a 25-year- old veteran classified as a freshman, to live in dormitories, Koldus said he agrees that freshmen need to live on campus because college life is a difficult adjustment, but that he would never force students to live on campus. The Texas A&M Board of Regents is discussing the possibility of building new dorms, but the need for additional housing depends on the total enrollment. “Right now, admissions seems to be slowing down, said Billy Lay, director of ad missions. -*«***,, What some people will do for a laugh...or in this case, an evening ofj, ||| Ij* llaughs when Town Hall brings comedian Steve Martin to Texas A&M y I April 10. Students began forming a line Saturday to buy tickets when theBfp! ; jMemorial Student Center box office opened this morning. As of midnight ISundav. more than 300 were waiting behind Rudder Auditorium. Cam- iMfcMMMM (Sunday, more than 300 were waiting behind Rudder Auditorium. (3ara>gfSMi Ipers included guitar and banjo players, television viewers, a girl working•• Ion a hooked rug, even people trying to study. And just to make sure no nnelgBjlpSfe [got away, roll was taken every' two hours from names on the ticket list. §l|p j Sophomore Paul Bettencourt, No. 1 on the list, began his wait at 2 p.m.ra I Saturday. And junior Kee Nethery, No. 2 said about 30 to 40 people joined -("C. I the group every hour. Battalion photo by Ben Polg sffp w fill ■ftsyfr mm:.