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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 1981)
Viewpoint i The Battalion Texas A&M University Thursday February 5, 1981 Slouch By Jim Earle \0 A* It s that time of the year when we need to get more sun. Freshmen consider children important By PATRICIA McCORMACK United Press International Raising a family rates as an important life goal for 63.1 percent of current college fresh men, says a report on the 15th annual “Amer ican Freshman” survey conducted by the American Council on Education and the Uni versity of Southern California at Los Angeles. Another goal receiving a high lifetime prior ity with the crowd entering college last Septem ber is “becoming an authority in my field.” Seventy-three percent said so by checking that option on a list that was part of the survey taken by questionnaire. The freshmen also gave their views on sub jects ranging from the biggest domestic prob lem (80 percent said inflation) and sex (47.9 percent approve it if people like each other) to legalization of marijuana (39.3 percent said yes) and drafting women (53.7 percent yes). \ Nearly 300,000 completed the questionnaire and were described as a sample of students at 540 two-year and four-year colleges and univer sities. Of these, 187,124 questionnaires from 355 insitutions were used to compute national norms. Survey oflficals said these were adjusted to represent the nation’s total of about 1.7 mil lion full-time freshmen this academic year. On a catch-all list of statements about those and other matters students were asked to indi cate that they “agree slightly or somewhat.” That is how views were elicited. Here is a sampling of what percentage agreed slightly or somewhat with the following state ments on the survey questionnaire: — The government isn’t protecting consum ers, 75.2 percent; government not controlling pollution, 79.8 percent; too many rights for cri minals, 65.9 pet; not obey laws against own views, 32.3 pet; should abolish death penalty, 32.3 percent. — Need national health care plan, 58.1 pet; energy shortage caused depression, 87.3 per cent; abortion should be legalized, 53.6 per cent; grading in high school is too easy, 59.7 pet; women’s activities best in home, 26.6 pet; live together before marriage, 43.4 percent; discourage large families, 44.8 percent. — Wealthy should pay more taxes, 70.3 per cent; women should get job equality, 93.3 per cent; prohibit homosexual relations, 48.9 per cent; students help evaluate faculty, 71.1 per cent; regulate student publications, 41.2 per cent; college has right to ban speaker, 26.1 percent. Among their personal objectives, after giving Warped Speculation, hopes rampant as Regents meet this week Observers of System politics — and other interested parties — were asking three major questions prior to this week’s Board of Regents meeting: — Would Clyde Wells seek another term as chairman of the Board? — Who, other than Wells, could conceiv ably become the chairman? — What might the implications of the first two questions be for the System’s future? That Clyde Wells would not be the chairman of the Board of Regents for a seventh term was assumed by many and hoped for by even more. The surprise came Tuesday when Wells re moved himself from consideration for the job. Most observers had envisioned a struggle for the chairmanship, with one or more regents challenging Wells for the job. Sidebars By Dillard Stone With Question #1 out of the way, the area of focus narrows considerably, for a change in Board leadership will be coming — and, as a corollary to that, a change in System direction could be in the works. Item: Gov. Bill Clements reportedly was very upset that Wells and his fellow regents dismissed Dr. Jarvis Miller as University presi dent. Item: H.R. “Bum” Bright is not only a big wheel in Texas business, he’s a prominent for mer stucjpnt and close friend of Clements. Item: It’s not inconceivable — and not yet denied, either — that Clements spoke with Wells about the latter’s pursuit of a seventh term as chairman. Item: It’s also reported that Clements has contacted several regents, soliciting support for Bright as Board chairman. Item: The names of now-regents Bright, Joe Richardson and William McKenzie were those submitted by the Association of Former Stu dents to the governor as recommendations for the three regent slots. Item: Several prominent former students have indicated the Association of Former Stu dents is counting heavily on Bright to run for the chairmanship. If these observers haven’t allowed their hope for Bum Bright as chairman to obscure their evaluation of the facts, there’s every possibility that Bright will be Wells’ successor. The only other current regent who could wind up as chairman is John Blocker of Hous ton; Clements’ other appointees are unknown quantities. That’s all that can be deduced about tion #2. Question #3 provides the opportunityfoi most conjecture: Where will the System under a new Board chairman? It’s an exceedingly difficult question to culate abo 4, for Bright has been hesita discuss his ambitions as a regent and his tions on System affairs. It’s a safe bet that the former studentswi like for Bright to be chairman because they! he would be more receptive to their foi ing report which evaluates the System nization. That report, to be released association sometime early this year, is pected to review the System’s organ! favorably. The report’s ultimate objective: present a comprehensive set of argument! the regents, designed to strongly encoi them to change the System organization something more closely resembling form. tM Since Chancellor Frank W.R. Hubert! thored the reorganization, some are sp ing that the repudiation of the man’s] be tantamount to the repudiation of then himself. Whatever the outcome, it will certainly^ sent a different picture than the one paintei July. high priorities to raising a family and becoming an authority in their fields, students considered the following also essential or very important: — Being well off financially, 63.3 pet; help ing others in difficulty, 64.7 percent; develop ing a philosophy of life, 50.4 percent; keeping up with political affairs, 40.0 percent; promot ing racial understanding, 33.1 percent. On career matters, the survey showed more young college women than ever are aiming for traditionally male careers. Among them, more than one in four, 27.2 percent, is planning a career in business, engineering, law or medi- That figure is more than a 400 percent in crease since 1966. The trend was accompanied by changes in students’ attitudes toward the role of women. For example, the notion that “women should receive the same salary and opportunities for advancement as men in comparable positions” is supported by more men and women than ever before — 93.3 percent, up from 81.3 per cent a decade ago. “These trends,” said UCLA Prof. Alexander W. Astin, director of the survey, “no doubt reflect the continuing influence of the women’s movement on the attitudes and aspirations of the young people. “As far as political labeling is concerned,” Astin said, “students continue to move from left Beta will 1 dent Apri give, tl eyes ai In < hated ; To accoun sponso of the i The in the Ho\ taxes e: a stud< should Hie said. “Thf It’s your turn -fo to center. Some 60 percent — highest in the history of the survey, now call themselves “middle-of- the-road.” Liberals and far left students con tinue to decline, from 24.5 pet. last year to 21.7 percent this year. The number of conser vatives and far right students, meanwhile, in creased slightly, from 17.5 percent to 18.3 percent. “These trends show that political labels can be misleading,” Astin said, “since the decline in students who call themselves liberals has been accompanied by both liberal and conservative trends in student views about specific issues. “At the same time, student support for such liberal causes as equal rights for women and busing is at an all-time high.” This year’s freshmen class distinguished itself by borrowing more than any previous entering class. The report said about one in five, 20.9 per cent, now has a federally guaranteed student loan. This is up from 13.2 percent over 1979 and a 100 percent increase over 1978 when the com parable figure was 10.4 percent. Arm-twisting easier than bargaining Editor: Jon Davis’ Reader’s Forum (The Battalion, Jan. 27) raised some interesting questions about American foreign policy. I answered most of them in my article “Base foreign policy on neut rality, trade” (The Battalion, Nov. 5, 1980). In that article, I explained that the American gov ernment does not seek to promote freedom in other countries, but has instead supported “pro-Western” dictators all over the world. The Shah is, of course, one example. deliver any oil. On the other hand, if the coun try is ruled by a dictator who is dependent on you for money and military weapons, you can tell him, “Deliver or else.” The principle is just this: It’s easier to twist an arm than to bargain with free men. Tell Maurice’s story What I did not explain in that article is why the U.S. government pursues such a policy. The reason is simple enough. Suppose you’re the president of the United States and you (for whatever reason) would like 100,000 barrels of oil from a certain Middle Eastern country. If that country is relatively free, you will have to bargain with their oil companies, go through their legal channels, etc. The upshot is that there is no guarantee that you will get them to Let me emphasize that this process is biparti san. Conservatives like to bribe these dictators with weapons while liberals do it with “foreign aid. ” The result is a foreign policy which is great for the U.S. government, costly for American taxpayers, and ruinously oppressive to the citizens of Third World countries. Thomas L. George, Jr. Editor: In light of the recent removal of Maim McDaniel from this Texas A&M baskel team, I believe that in order to provide 1 objective view of the situation, his point of'' 1 ' should be investigated and reported object! 1 ly. In this way, both sides will be clearly uni stood. This letter is not intended to discr? Coach Shelby Metcalf or The Battalion sf but to allow the student body a complete ui standing of the situation. William M, $ Ai By Scott McCullar AH, 1 SEE IT'S RAINED today; looks like with WITH A GOOD WIND ^EHINP IT TOO? y WAIT A niNOTE, rOU CANT KNOW THAT, WE'VE BEEN IN THE LIBRARY ALL DAY AND YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED OUT OF ANY WINDOWS... THERE AREN'T PUDDLES AROUND THERE ISN'T A IN THE SKY . WHAT WAKES you TffWK IT'S (RAINED ? ELEMENTARY MY DEAR WATSON... The Battalion I SPS 045 360 MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congres Questions or comments concerning any editorial maW should be directed to the editor. Editor Dillard Stone Managing Editor Angelique Copeland Asst. Managing Editor Todd Woodard City Editor Debbie Nelson Asst. City Editor Marcy Boyce News Editors Venita McCellon, Scot K. Meyer Sports Editor Richard Oliver Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff Asst. Focus Editor Susan Hopkins Staff Writers........ Carolyn Barnes, Jane G. Brust, Terry Duran, Bemie Fette, Cindy Gee, Jon Heidtke, Belinda McCoy, Kathleen McElroy, Marjorie McLaughlin, Kathy O’Connell, Ritchie Priddy, Rick Stolle Cartoonist Scott McCullar Photo Editor Greg Gammon LETTERS POLICY Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in If# and are subject to being cut if they are longer. The editorial^ reserves the right to edit letters for style and length, but “'I make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. Eachletf must also be signed, show the address and phone mimberoli 1 writer. Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, and art»''' subject to the same length constraints as letters. Address i inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The Battalion, > Feed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station, P 77843. EDITORIAL POUCY The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper op erated as a community service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or the author* and do not necessarily repre sent the opinions of Texas A&M University administrators or faculty members, or of the Board of Regen ts. The Battalion is published daily during Texas A&M's spring semesters, except for holiday and examination ptr# Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33.25 per scW year and $35 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on ^ quest. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald BuiliW Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. United Press International is entitled exclusively to thru- for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it. Riel* 0 reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 7784! 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