Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 12, 1979)
Battalion Vol. 73 No. 71 16 Pages in 2 Sections Wednesday, December 12, 1979 College Station, Texas USPS 045 360 Phone 845-2611 oard installment plan o be eliminated next fall m By CAROL HANCOCK Battalion Reporter Beginning next fall, Texas A&M Uni- hity students will no longer have the lion of paying their board fee in three Itallments. lifter hearing a recommendation from jward Vestal, vice president for business vices, the Board of Regents voted dur- ! the Nov. 30 Board of Regents meeting [discontinue the installment plan. Vestal said during the meeting that the [(ailment payment plan caused prob in bookkeeping and was expensive [the University. Lloyd Smith, assistant director of food vices, said the plan causes problems for |th the Food Services Department and Fiscal Office. Many students fail to read the rides of the installment plan and think that failure to pay an installment drops them from the board plan. Smith said. This is not the case, he said. After signing up for the board plan, students are committed to complete payment whether they continue to eat or not. The Food Services Department does not know if a student has failed to make payments until it is notified by the Fiscal Office, which collects the payments. Often, Smith said, Food Services is not notified until up to V/2 months after a stu dent’s payment was due. Meanwhile, the student can continue to eat in the dining halls. Smith said the plan has also caused mis understandings and sometimes hard feel ings between students and the Food Ser vices Department. “Every time a board payment is due, for about a week I get up to 50 people a day in to see me trying to straighten finances,” he said. Robert Smith, assistant controller for the fiscal office, said the main cost to the' University is administrative services. Hav ing to track down students with delin quent payments takes time and personnel, he said. “It doesn’t really cost the University much in terms of someone getting some thing for nothing,” he said. The Fiscal Of fice tries to be as lenient as possible with students but almost always gets the money due, Smith said. Although the plan was initiated to help students who had insufficient funds to pay tuition and fees at the beginning of the semester, some students found the in stallment plan to be more of an inconveni m homeini says ‘American veto blame for violence United Press International ABRIZ, Iran — Iran’s political crisis rteriorated and new clashes and killings re reported Tuesday in the troubled Jthwest region where a government ee commission held talks to try to halt violence. » At least two people were killed and Slit 20 wounded in clashes Monday in west Azerbaijan capital of Urumieh be- Jeen loyalist revolutionary guards and Isident supporters of Ayatollah Kazem priatmadari, who bluntly accused the emment of reneging on recent prom- to the populous region, abriz, scene of weekend violence, was [uiet Tuesday as the government commis- n headed by Finance Minister Abol san Bani-Sadr held a second session of talks to try to halt further bloodshed. But the demonstrators, demanding gre ater autonomy and a revision of the Islamic constitution giving Khomeini absolute powers, controlled most of the city and were encouraged to continue their resis tance by Shariatmadari s refusal to intervene. “I see no reason to intervene further, the ayatollah said in a statement. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini blamed the crisis in Turkish-speaking Tabriz on “American spies (sent) from the embassy, where Moslem militants have been hold ing 50 Americans hostage for 39 days. The leader of those opposed to Kho meini’s absolute rule. Ayatollah Kazem Shariatmadari, countered with charges the 79-year-old religious leader was moving steadily toward a political dictatorship and breaking agreements designed to end the current strife in northwest Iran. Moderate Ayatollah Shariatmadari said he would not actively intervene to halt the crisis in Tabriz where his supporters bat tled loyalist revolutionary guards for days to control public buildings. “How can I guarantee peace in a city where agents of the Islamic republic, without any reason, have caused deaths and injuries?’’ he said. Shariatmadari’s bluntest warning to the government and his charge that the Tabriz violence was government-inspired effec tively appeared to deadlock the crisis. At least nine people died and 60 were wounded over several days of fighting and, Tehran Radio said Monday there was re- ence than a help. Dana Creel, a freshman physical educa tion major on the board plan, said she was planning to pay her board in full next semester. By being on the installment plan, Creel said, she had to worry about getting enough money to pay three times instead of once. Sylvia Nolan, a junior marketing major, said she, too, was going to get off the in stallment plan next semester. Nolan de scribed it as being a hassle and said mis takes were made on her records for pre registration because of it. Vestal said at the board meeting that most students were capable of paying for board plan in one payment. The resolution passed by the board, however, enables students to pay on an installment basis if they can show hardship. spies in Iran newed fighting, including one report of another three deaths. But correspondents at the scene saw no evidence of renewed clashes. Shariatmadari said Khomeini and his aides should “have the courage' to state facts and added, “to connect all happen ings to American imperialism will not solve any problems. ” Despite the domestic crisis in the northwest, diplomatic sources said deli cate contacts were still being maintained to try to secure the release of the hostages. And in the capital, Canadian Ambas sador Kenneth Taylor said Tuesday U.S. Charge d’Affaires Bruce Laingen and two other embassy officials in protective cus tody at the Foreign Ministry are in good health. lowever, n he > game ofl in. Hoi ght game! not only I t an inters Houston Campbell! AFC's slii rush, w perform® ason, Mauck defeat wt lefeatedfej \FC char . S. denies setting deadline for Iran United Press International I WASHINGTON — The State Depart- fnient Tuesday denied the United States ;ta 10-day deadline for the safe release of be hostages or that it seeks to encourage t ie fall of the regime of Ayatollah Ruhollah [homeini. “There is not such deadline ... (and) we not seeking the overthrow of the Kho- eini regime,” department spokesman Tom Reston said. “Clearly, we don’t want this thing to go on forever, but there is no 10-day deadline or a two-week deadline or anything of the sort.” Regarding possible economic measures against Iran, including an embargo, Re ston noted Secretary of State Cyrus Vance is now in Europe talking to U.S. allies “about what we have done and what we might do.” “But I am not prepared to specificy” those measures, he said. ABC News reported the deadline Mon day, saying that despite the State Depart ment denial it stands by the story by its diplomatic correspondent Ted Koppel. Koppel said the administration has indi cated it would try to bring down the Kho meini government through economic means if the 50 American hostages are not released within 10 days. A blockade was not ruled out. “The message to Tehran has two sides,” Koppel reported. “Release the hostages within the next 10 days, and that would go a long way towards softening the consequ ences of U. S. anger; but anything less than a total release within that time period, and the United States will embark on a policy of actively trying to bring about the downfall of the Khomeini government — initially through a policy of tightening the economic screws at Washington’s disposal, but not ruling out an eventual blockade. RCA loses satellite, fears it has blown up United Press International CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — U.S. space-tracking stations around the world scanned the skies Tuesday for a lost $20 million communications satellite that may have blown up. The missing one-ton satellite, designed for the cable television industry and owned by RCA American Communica tions Inc. (Americom), was launched Thursday night. On Monday RCA realized it had lost track of the satellite. After the launch NASA officials said the satellite had gone into its preliminary transfer orbit as planned. They then turned the satellite’s future guidance over to RCA. Americom spokesman John Williamson reported late Monday that RCA scientists lost all track of Satcom III after they J V' i y* 1 *- it , i :! if i N - -N Battalion plioto By Clay B. Cockrill With a little help Lenny Barszap, 22 months, apparently wasn’t participating enough in singing caroles at the MSC Hospitality Committee Christmas party Tuesday, so friends Rayne Kelley (left) and Christine Howe decided to help him along. Lenny is the son of Michael Barszap, a professor in the modern languages department. Carter doesn't plan to be ‘spectator to hostage trial radioed a signal to fire a rocket motor on board the satellite to guide it into its per manent, stationary orbit 22,300 miles above the Pacific Ocean at the Equator. “We don t know if the satellite exploded or whether it’s gone into the wrong orbit, ” said Donald Quinn, a spokesman for Americom. A source close to the RCA project speculated it had exploded? because otherwise it would have remained on tracking screens longer, the Florida news paper Cocoa Today reported. NASA spokesmen said they believe it was only the second time a satellite had been lost in that manner. The first was Syncom I, launched Feb. 14, 1963, and lost when a “kickmotor was fired a few days later to adjust its orbit. United Press International WASHINGTON — President Carter does not intend to “sit by as a spectator” if the 50 American hostages in Iran are put on trial, presidential aides have indicated. Press secretary Jody Powell refused to say what Carter contemplates if “show trials” are held in Tehran. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance has been discussing a possible trade embargo with European leaders. With Congress closing shop in a couple of weeks. Carter arranged an early morn ing legislative breakfast Tuesday with Democratic leaders. In the evening, he and Mrs. Carter gave a Christmas ball in honor of Congress. The Iranian crisis is now in its sixth week and Powell continues to insist that there is only one issue — the release of the hostages. Carter considers the question of the al leged crimes of the deposed shah extrane ous at the present time. The siege began Nov. 4 when militant students stormed the American Embassy in Tehran nearly two weeks after Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was permitted into the United States for medical treat ment. Iranian Foreign Minister Sadegh Qotbzadeh has threatened trials of some of the hostages. He has said an international panel will be convened and the rule of the shah and U.S. wrongdoing over the past 25 years will be aired. “The issue is the illegal holding of our people, Powell said. “Their release is the only issue. While they are in the posture of holding our people illegally, other mat ters — grievances, whatever — are simply beside the point. Powell referred to national security ad viser Zbigniew Brzezinski’s statement Sunday, in which he said “further abuse of these already maltreated hostages would give us very grave concern and we could hardly sit by as spectators.” The aide said Brzezinski’s comments about not sitting by “were in reference to such an action on their part. The aide also said the administration obviously would draw a distinction between physical harm being meted out to the hostages and other situations. Posthumous degree awarded to senior killed in accident A posthumous degree in aerospace engineering was awarded Tuesday to 21-year-old Amer Sheikh, a Texas A&M senior killed in a car wreck near Hempstead Friday. Silver Taps for Sheikh, a Pakistani, will be Jan. 22 after the return of stu dents from Christmas break. Services for him are pending in Pakistan. Officials said Sheikh had completed required degree work and was to re ceive his diploma this weekend at regidar commencement ceremonies. Sheikh is the 11th student fatality of the current academic year and is the 12th Texas A&M student to die in an auto accident since mid-May. Eight of those traffic deaths have oc- cured since September. Academic Council to tighten policy Grad students must register officially IS ers # €\ fL-r Battalion photo by Lynn Blanco Studying? ISJo ... Robert Keen portrays Death in the “Death Knocks” segment of a Reader’s Theatre adaptation of Woody Allen’s “Getting Even.” Keen and four other students presented their interpretation of four of Allen’s works in Rudder Forum Tuesday evening. The oral interpretation group is part of speech communication at Texas A&M University. By LAURA CORTEZ Battalion Reporter Graduate students who have finished their course work and are working on their research, but who fail to properly register with the University each semester, will be dropped from enrollment, the Academic Council decided Tuesday. Furthermore, these students will not be re-admitted to the graduate college unless they have a GPR of at least 3.0, and they must pay a $50 reinstatement fee and pre sent evidence that their graduate program is being successfully pursued. There is also the possibility that a re- evaluation procedure will take place in order to determine if these students should be allowed to continue in the graduate program. This action may in clude formal re-appointment of a student’s committee and filling out a new degree program. The guidelines for in absentia registra tion were drawn up and approved by the Graduate Council following a study in this area, and these guidelines were submitted to the Academic Council for consideration at Tuesday’s meeting. “Many students continue to work in ab sentia for several years without register ing,” the study states, “during which time they expect to have help from the faculty. including the reading of their theses, dis sertations, or other required documents.” The study also says that graduate college files shows that 11 doctoral students who were registered for the 1978 fall semester did not register for the 1979 spring semes ter. Since none of these students graduated, all are probably continuing work on their degrees, the study con cluded. Based on an informal check, these 11 students represent 15-25 percent of the students who are not now enrolled but who are working toward an advanced de gree at Texas A&M, according to the study. It continued that if this estimate is cor rect, the University may be losing about $50,000 per semester in subvention funds (funds granted to the University by the state.) Beginning in fall 1980, graduate stu dents who have completed all course work on their degree program, but who are still engaged in reasearch for their disserta tions, theses, or records of study must re gister for a minimum of four hours of 691 (Research) or 692 (Professional Study) cre dit each semester or 12-week summer ses sion until all requirements for the degree have been completed. Exceptions to these guidelines will be the prerogative of the dean of the graduate college.