72 No. 81
ages
he Battalion
Wednesday, January 24, 1979
College Station, Texas
News Dept. 845-2611
Business Dept. 845-2611
Auto insurance
rates may drop
A state representative pro
poses that car insurance rates be
based on driving performance,
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mean lower insurance rates for
college students. See page 5.
illiams resignation not explained
IF
rs
By KIM TYSON
and LIZ NEWLIN
Battalion Staff
asn’t “Smiling Jack who told the
aslA&M University System Board of
;ents he was resigning Tuesday.
'^Wsetned to be a sad Jack K. Williams
(quickly told the board he was leaving
Kt as quickly left the regent’s quar-
without answering any questions.
H)ther University officials or regents
ild tell or even speculate on why he
I’d.
dlliams, who earned his nickname
lilin Jack the first semester he taught
Jerican History, cracked nary a grin
the morning session.
®.stnel978 president of the Association
dormer Students put it, I think it was a
'IjKsad day.
laijvey Cash of Dallas, contacted Tues-
yhiidit, continued: "There’s no one
Vs done as much for the University.
|A&M progressed more under him
Tny other man.
illiams, in a hushed and deliberate
told the regents that his resignation
pective immediately.
Hs will be my last board meeting,” he
■1 am resigning as chancellor, effec-
Bday. He said he was taking a six-
nth leave and then planned to “resume
Bring career that I left several years
■He indicated he probably will teach
e.
Hyde Wells, newly re-elected chairman
■ board of regents, said, “The board
■d of this just before the meeting,
■) means the board itself has work to
in finding a person to follow Dr.
■ms.''
fells said the board will name a search
Hittee and he expects the “search to
■rme time to find a replacement. He
tlic committee must be approved by
ioint
Ring
693-
:entire nine-member board, but it may
Bvorking as soon as possible, with
id approval later. Wells didn’t specify
P he planned to name to the commit-
)r. John Knox, president of the Associ-
■of Former Students in 1978 and a
ijiiguished alumnus, suggested it was
t end result of a long power struggle
en the Texas A&M president and
aneellor.
1 knew things were not as smooth as
■night have appeared on the surface,”
Houston doctor said.
He chancellor-president system has
■ used at Texas A&M at least twice
fore and was scrapped each time.
It has not worked in the past,” Knox
glttl “It has not worked this time — at
[Ljffiin the eyes of many. A lot of people
just do not think the system worked with
Dr. Williams.”
In the time since Williams was named
chancellor and lost control over the main
campus, the board also directed Moody
College and the Agricultural Extension
Service to report to the Texas A&M presi
dent, instead of Williams. And the on-
campus Georgian home, which Williams
moved into eight years ago, was given to
Miller this fall.
After Williams announced his resigna
tion, Wells asked if any regents had com
ments, then thanked Williams. He said
that Williams was known among his peers
as a “statesman in higher education.
At the close of the meeting Williams
immediately gathered up his briefcase and
left through a back door of the board room.
He declined to answer reporters ques
tions about his reasons for resigning or fu
ture plans, and drove off.
The board had a brief recess, then went
into executive session to discuss Williams’
resignation and its plans. After about 20
minutes, the board opened the session to
announce its decisions: to accept the chan
cellor’s resignation and grant him a leave
of absence, name Clyde Wells as acting
chancellor and give Wells the authority to
appoint a committee to recommend a new
chancellor.
Wells said he expects to spend more
time working on campus, as temporary
chancellor, than he did as board chairman.
However, the rancher from Granbury said
he will not be here on a day-to-day basis as
Williams was.
Various campus officials said they were
not forewarned of the resignation.
Dr. Haskell Monroe, dean of faculties,
said he’d heard nothing indicating that
Williams planned to resign. Although
Monroe said Williams’ health has been
discussed, he said as far as he knew the
chancellor has lost weight but “is in full
vigor.”
Williams had suffered a severe heart at
tack several years ago, but doctors said he
was fully recovered.
Monroe said the Texas A&M faculty had
a high respect for Williams and identified
with him because of his experience as an
instructor.
He said Williams has been contacted
previously by other institutions about po
sitions, and said he thought Williams
might return to Clemson University in
South Carolina. Williams taught American
History there earlier in his career and
served in its administration, including vice
president for academic affairs.
An official at Clemson contacted Tues
day said that Clemson is currently looking
for a president, but said he didn’t know
whether Williams had been contacted
Saying it would “come as no surprise to board members,” former
Chancellor Jack K. Williams announces his resignation Tuesday, left.
about that job.
An official on the Texas A&M campus
said he’d been told Williams planned to
stay on as an instructor here until May
1980 for retirement benefits.
Texas A&M President Jarvis Miller also
said he had no indication that Williams
was planning to resign:
“It took me by about as much surprise as
anybody.”
Miller said Wells met with all the uni
versity presidents following the board
meeting and indicated there was no timet
able for naming the new chancellor. Miller
said he didn’t know if he’d be offered the
position or whether he d accept it. “All of
this has happened so suddenly,” he said.
W. Clyde Freeman, vice chancellor for
administration, said, “The first I heard
about this was eight o’clock this morning.
He said he didn’t known when Williams
had talked to the board or why Williams
resigned.
“This eime as a real surprise to me,
said Dr, Alvin I. Thomas, president of
Prairie View A&M. “I never had any
idea. Thomas said before the executive
session that he hoped the board would ask
Williams to reconsider his resignation and
remain.
After their meeting regents declined to
answer further questions about Williams’s
resignation, saying they had decided
Wells should act as spokesman for the
group.
“The board has made an agreement that
tin* chairman would speak fpr us, said
Royee Wisenbaker, newly-appointed re
gent from Tyler.
“You heard about this at the same time I
did,” said H.C. Bell. T have no other
comment to make.”
Wells said there is no plan to return to a
system without a chancellor. He said, “We
feel this is too big a job for one man to
assume this role.”
Richard “Buck Weirus, executive di
rector of the Association of Former Stu
dents, said he received calls from alumni
all Tuesday afternoon about Williams’s res
ignation. Weirus said he expects the same
criticism from alumni the University re
ceived after Athletic Director Emory Bel-
lard resigned in the fall. But he doesn t
expect the widespread “emotional criti
cism that followed Bellard s resignation
because of the coach’s personal contact
wiffi alumni clubs in the state.
Bo'eby Tucker, student body president,
said he d heard no student reaction to the
resignation because most students didn’t
know about it.
Contacted at his office, former regent
Richard Goodson said he had “no idea why
he (Williams) had resigned.” He would not
comment on Williams’s relationship with
the regents and said only, T am no longer
on the board.”
t system meets mixed reactions
By ERIN BECKERS
Battalion Reporter
|>ng with a winning basketball team
s a greater demand for tickets, result-
long lines, ticket scalpers and camp-
e system of distributing tickets to sea-
ass holders is new this year and has
T en met with mixed emotions from stu
nts. Previously, students with ID cards
ire let in free on a first come basis.
1 haven’t been to a game yet because
ey are constantly being sold out,
,i. ( 4 phomore Carol Casey said. “I can’t be in
-f tieket line at 8 a. m. because of my class
) 4:45. Ihedule.”
“It’s cheaper than having to pay for each
said junior Sandy Spears. “Five dol-
| is a pretty good deal for both basketball
'■baseball seasons.”
■vse of the sports pass was begun this
ndv of iar a ^ er a f o ur -y e a r phase passed by the
y Bent senate last year, said Kevin Patter-
•n, vice president for student services.
0 f previously, the athletic department re
ceived money from the student service fee
fund.
This year, no funds were received by the
department. Instead, season passes were
sold to provide some of the funding for the
basketball and baseball programs, Patter
son said.
“If you want to attend the games, you are
supporting the programs with the $5 paid
for the pass/’ he said. “That way, those who
don’t want to contribute don’t have to.”
There are approximately 12,000 pass
holders, according to Wally Groff, assistant
athletic director. Excluding seating for 300
band members and 300 athletes, 4200 gen
eral admission seats remain to pass holders.
“That’s a one-in-three chance of getting
in if you have a pass, Patterson said. “It’s
first come, first served.”
Having to miss classes in order to stand
in line is a “valid complaint, ” he said. “But
if tickets were bought at the door before a
game, it would be hard to tell how many
have been issued, with five ticket win
dows.”
He added, “If it’s a sellout, the pass
wouldn’t have priority over the general
admission cost.”
Now, if a game is not sold out to pass
holders, general admission seats are sold
for $1 prior to a game, beginning at 5 p.m.
he said.
“It’s bad having students scalping other
students for tickets,” said senior Larry
Williams. “I think it should be set up by a
priority basis, like football. You’re more or
Tuesdai'i
orcoursi
Regents accept land
For extension service
hid
CK
fG
ie Texas A&M University System’s
d of Regents Tuesday formally ac-
d gifts of 260 acres in San Antonio
h will be used by the Texas Engineer
’s Extension Service.
‘The land will be used to enlarge the
>uth Central Texas Regional Training
eater, which offers instruction in public
pice occupations, industrial-technical
id special programs.
Regent Alfred Davies questioned the
■ Antonio program, though he said it
Bid not hurt to accept the land. Davies
•id the extension service may be perform-
S vocational services that junior colleges
lould be responsible for.
ttie 1978-79 budget allots $2 million for
■program; 70 full-time and 30 part-time
Bers are employed.
0^Bie land was donated in three sections:
■acres from the Bexar County Commis-
ioners, 30 from H.B. Zachry, and 30 from
■Southeast Development Foundation.
Clyde H. Wells of Granbury was re
ted chairman of the Board of Regents.
f[has held that position for 10 years,
he regents also voted to allow Prairie
A&M president Dr. Alvin I. Thomas
|gn an assistance contract with Liberia’s
Booker T. Washington Institute.
The Agency for International Develop
ment recently gave the Liberian govern
ment $5.9 million for the school. That
money will be matched by $6.2 million
from the Liberian government.
The 60-month contract will provide
funds for technical assistance, commodity
procurement, training of Liberians at
Prairie View A&M, and reporting on work
specifics.
Prairie View and the Liberian school
have been associated since 1955.
Booker Washington Institute has an
enrollment of more than 1,000 students. Its
curriculum includes courses in agriculture,
business, home economics and trade, and
industrial education.
Administrators for the Liberian school
will be trained by staff provided by Prairie
View. Prairie View was chosen for the
project in preference to 11 other institutes.
All recommendations for promotions and
tenure for faculty members were ap
proved. Tenure was granted to 90 faculty
members, and 88 promotions were passed.
A low bid for fire protection measures
on campus was submitted by Collier Elec
tric of Temple at $699,587.
‘Swing your partner
“Hillbillies” swing by the right, as Manning Smith called the dance at the
Student Y Hillbilly Hoedown. More than 40 students formed squares
and danced polkas, schottisches and the cotton-eyed joe at the Y’s first
hoedown Tuesday night. Battalion photo by ^ C ro m bie
then sits quietly awaiting response from board members.
Battalion photos by Lee Roy Leschper Jr.
Resignation ends
8 years at A&M
less wasting your money if you can’t consis
tently get tickets.
According to Patterson, the student sen
ate took into account that not all pass hold
ers would get to see the games. “The pass
itself states that it does not guarantee a
student ticket,” he said.
Passes exclusively for the baseball season
may be purchased in Room 113 of G. Rollie
White Coliseum. If a football ticket coupon
book was purchased in the fall, the pass is
$5. Others are $7.50.
Jack Williams is no longer chancellor.
He ended an eight-year career as an
administrator to Texas A&M University
when he resigned Tuesday from the Texas
A&M University System.
Williams, 58, began his tenure at Texas
A&M as president of both the University
and the system on Nov. 1, 1970, when he
was named to those positions following the
death of Gen. Earl Rudder. He succeeded
acting-president Gen. Alvin Luedecke.
One night soon after his arrival,
students marched to his house and held
yell practice. It was a warm show of
support for a man newly arrived on
campus.
He served in the dual position unn\ May
1977 when, in a surprise announcement,
he was appointed chancellor.
Williams was well-liked by faculty and
students, who gave him the nickname
“Smiling Jack.
He gained the sympathy of the school
after suffering a serious heart attack in July
1976. Upon recovering, he assumed the
position of chancellor.
Dr. Jarvis Miller, former director of the
Texas Agricultural Extension Service,
replaced him as president.
Williams was born in Virginia where he
attended high school and college and
taught his first classes. He served as an
officer in the Marines in World War II.
From 1947 until 1960 he went through the
academic ranks from history instructor to
graduate dean at Clemson University,
South Carolina’s land-grant ^university.
From then until 1966, he served as dean
of faculties and vice president for academic
affairs at Clemson.
He later served as a commissioner on
the Texas Coordinating Board, Texas
College and University System, and as a
vice president for the University of
Tennessee System in Knoxville. He also
served as chancellor pro-tem. University
of Tennessee Medical Units, Memphis.
He left Tennessee in 1970 to assume the
role -,f president of Texas A&M.
The foroier chancellor has served on
numerous inauot r i a l and professional
boards and holds degrees including a
Ph.D. from Emory University, an LL.D.
from the University of Florida, and a
D.Lit. from Austin College.
He is married to the former Margaret
Pierce of Welch, W. Va., and has two
daughters, Mrs. Leonard R. Teel of
Atlanta, Ga., and Mazy K. Williams of
Austin.
Resident’s appeal
put on TEA docket
By KAREN ROGERS
Battalion Staff
The appeal for a hearing concerning the
termination of A&M Consolidated School
District Superintendent Fred Hopson’s
contract has been put on the docket by the
Texas Education Agency, according to a
letter received by the superintendent’s of
fice Tuesday.
In the letter, TEA senior staff attorney
David Ryan informed the district that the
hearing had been assigned a docket
number and that all documentary and other
record information developed locally in the
matter should be filed with the agency by
Feb. 9.
The letter was missing two promised
enclosures: a copy of the appeal by two
citizens asking for the hearing and a copy of
the TEA procedures on hearings and ap
peals.
A copy of the appeal letter that College
Station resident Oran Jones and Bryan res
ident Bill Parker sent to TEA was enclosed,
but it was not marked with the docket
number.
The letter from TEA to the school district
did refer to “Oran Jones vs. Board of Trus
tees of A&M Consolidated Independent
School District, Docket No. 010-R-179.”
But since the letter of appeal itself didn’t
bear the docket number, it is not official.
Dr. Jack Woods, attorney for the school
district, said.
Woods said he instructed Hopson’s sec
retary to inform Ryan of the error and to ask
that the missing documents be mailed to
the superintendent’s office.
The board terminated Hopson’s thzee-
year contiact in November citing “differ
ences concerning educational policy and
policy implementation.”
Jones and Parker, on Jan. 9, requested
TEA to examine the situation to determine
the right of the school board tiustees to
terminate the contract. The formal com
plaint also asked for an explanation of the
board s decision to pay Hopson $54,000
upon the June 30 termination.
Jones filed the complaint with TEA after
a refusal in December of board President
Bruce Robeck to grant a hearing. Robeck
questioned the use of the word “hearing. ”
He responded that only Hopson, the em
ployee involved, could ask for a hearing.
Jones’ appeal was docketed with TEA on
Jan. 12.
After examination of the records, the di
rector of hearings for TEA will determine if
the Commissioner of Education, Dr. M.L.
Brockett, has jurisdiction over the case.
“Until jurisdiction has been established,
there can be no hearing scheduled,” said
Margaret Cooper, a TEA staff attorney.
The hearing, if scheduled, would take
place in Austin and will be open to the
public.
DA says he wants
Davis back in court
United Press International
FORT WORTH — A district attorney
who has failed in two attempts to convict T.
Cullen Davis of a crime said Tuesday he
will attempt to retry the multimillionaire
on murder solicitation charges within the
next six months.
District Attorney Tim Curzy said he
wanted Davis back in court.
“I suppose it boils down to whether a
man with his resources and money should
be given a free ride,” he said. “The law
ought to apply to everyone,and I don’t
think it does heie. The system has cleazly
failed here.”
Davis is charged with paying FBI infoi-
mant David McCrozy, a former Davis In
dustries employee, $25,000 to ariange the
murder of Davis’s divoi ce couz t judge, Joe
H. Eidson.