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Vol. 74 No. 98
10 Pages
Monday, February 16, 1981
College Station, Texas
USPS 045 360
Phone 845-2611
reeks to begin
recognition push
By PAMELA EADES
Battalion Reporter
Two fraternity and sorority groups are
working on a proposal to obtain official
University recognition.
The Interfratemity Council and its
sorority counterpart, Panhellenic, have
joined to try to improve relations and
communications between fraternities,
sororities and the University, said Mark
Hawkins, president of the Interfratemi
ty Council.
Interfratemity Council and Panhel
lenic are composed of two representa
tives from 10 fraternities and 10 soror
ities. One fraternity. Sigma Chi, drop
ped its membership in Interfratemity
Council last May.
Official recognition would allow the
two councils to use University facilities
for advertising and meetings. Like other
student organizations, the two councils
would be able to apply for a share of the
Memorial Student Center Bookstore
profits.
Hawkins said the proposal is for rec-
Leaders voice thoughts
on recognition question
By PAMELA EADES
Battalion Reporter
Student leaders and fraternity-
sorority leaders expressed their
opinions about a proposal to give offi
cial University recognition to Inter-
fraternity Council and Panhellenic,
the sorority equivalent.
Brad Smith, student body presi
dent:
“I think that the fraternities and
sororities have a definite place here
and they meet a need that’s not met
by any other organization. But as
they get stronger ... they develop
along the lines of every other Greek
system with heavy competition be
tween the groups. That’s bound to
take away from this overall unique
ness of being an Aggie first.”
Mark Hawkins, president of In
terfraternity Council:
“It’s going to be a big step for
them (the Student Organizations
Board) to recognize Greeks. It’s like
getting girls here at A&M. ”
Sherrie Balcar, president of Resi
dence Hall Association:
“If they want to be recognized
then I think they should be given a
chance. There’s been a lot of trouble
with their advertising .... I think
they should be recognized and reg
ulated as we (other student organiza
tions) are.”
Lisa Jakubik, president of
Panhellenic:
“The sororities are all for it (recog
nition). It would help us a lot going
through rush, and I believe Texas
A&M would benefit a lot.”
Ernen Haby, president of MSC
Council:
“I think that every student organi
zation should provide something
others do not. I really don’t know
that the fraternities would add a new
service to students — other than
purely social.”
Tracy Cox, Student Government
vice president of finance:
“I believe fraternities and soror
ities fyllfill a need for some students
at A&M. As far as being an official
recognized group, I don’t feel A&M
is the place for them.
New clues point
to four Hilton fires
ognition of the two councils only and
does not involve individual fraternities
or sororities.
Work on the proposal began last
semester, Hawkins said. Hawkins said
he met with Dr. John Koldus, vice pres
ident for student services, for help in
preparing the proposal. Hawkins had
another meeting with Koldus Feb. 10 to
submit an introductory proposal. Kol
dus told Hawkins to continue work on
the proposal and re-submit it to him
Tuesday.
“As I see it now, the proposal is just an
outline,” Koldus said.
He said the proposal needs more
work before it can be submitted to the
Student Organizations Board for evalua
tion.
Hawkins is optimistic about the prop
osal. He said he thinks the two councils
could gain recognition by the end of this
semester.
Hawkins said the councils are seeking
recognition for several reasons. He said
these groups could serve as an informa
tion service, keeping fraternities and
sororities informed about on-campus
events, and as an arbitration board for
disputes between the Greeks and the
University. Greek is a term used to de
signate members of fraternities and
sororities.
Panhellenic became involved with
the proposal when its members voted
unanimously Feb. 9 to join the Inter
fratemity Council efforts.
The president of Panhellenic, - Lisa
Jakubik, said she thinks official recogni
tion would bring the Greek system a
closer relationship with the University.
“If they (University officials) wanted
to tell the Greeks anything, they could
come through us,” Jakubik said.
A previous attempt for University
recognition was made by an individual
fraternity (Sigma Phi Epsilon) in Oct.
1977.
That proposal was rejected by Kol
dus. •
Swackit!
Pitcher- Chuck Roe watches as Russell Pantermuel
swings at the softball. Puryear Hall’s Class A intramu
ral practice Sunday afternoon was one of many held
Staff photo by
across the campus, as teams prepare for
Greg Gammon
the spring
Wreckers use ‘Slim Jims'to force entry
Locking won’t stop car towing
United Press International
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Investigators
Sunday looked into the possibility that
two friends of accused arsonist Philip
Bruce Cline were involved in the Hilton
hotel fire that took eight lives.
New evidence shows that four sepa
rate fires were started in the 30-story
hotel last Tuesday night. In addition to
the eight deaths, more than 100 guests
were hospitalized and about 300 were
treated and released from hospitals.
Cline, a 23-year-old busboy, claimed
the fire started accidentally while he
was engaged in a homosexual act with a
man known only as “Joe,” on the eighth
floor and a marijuana cigarette ignited
some drapes.
Cline has been charged with one
count of first-degree arson and eight
ipi
counts of homicide. A formal complaint
is to be filed in court Tuesday and Cline
is to be arraigned Thursday.
Capt. Mike Patterson of the Clark
County Fire Department said new evi
dence shows, however, that four sepa
rate fires were deliberately set. He said
two other persons were suspects, but
he would not name them.
Cline’s story was not believed by
Clark County Fire Chief Roy Parrish.
Parrish said a marijuana cigarette
does not bum as hot a regular cigarette
and could not have generated enough
heat to ignite the drapes in the elevator
lobby as Cline claimed.
Nine lawsuits, including six for $1
million each, have been filed against the
Hilton chain, charging negligence.
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Resident sunbathers
Residents of the fourth floor of Hotard Hall took outdoors Sunday after
noon to relax and study in the sun. Afternoon temperatures tempted many
students to play outside instead of study.
By LARRY WHYDE
Battalion Reporter
If you think you can keep your car from being
towed away by locking it, you’re wrong.
University Police and towing companies use a
flat tool called a “Slim Jim” to unlock cars which
are to be towed. The Slim Jim works much like a
coat hanger to open the car — only this is made
specifically for opening cars. University Police
Chief Russ McDonald said.
It is legal for the police to open a car, as long as
they have a good reason, Jim Locke, student’s
legal adviser, said.
That means any car that is illegally parked can
legally be opened.
After the car is opened, the police inventory
everything and all damage is noted, he said.
Before a car is towed, it has to be inventoried,
McDonald said. If a police officer had to wait for
the wrecker to arrive and unlock the vehicle before
he could inventory the contents, McDonald said,
“We’d lose an officer for an hour or 45 minutes.”
Any car can be towed from the Texas A&M
campus if it is illegally parked in a reserved spot,
has an altered parking permit, has been aban
doned, or if the owner has three or more unpaid
parking tickets on record, McDonald said.
Last semester 177 cars were towed away.
Already this semester more than 50 cars have been
towed.
“We’ve had people come in and claim damage
was done, but we just show them the inventory we
took, so nothing ever comes of it, ” McDonald said.
“If they’re going to take possession of a car there
has to be a good reason,” Locke said. “I don’t think
there’s a problem there.
“But there’s a technical distinction between
what they do (an inventory) and a search. They
need to secure any valuables there (in the car) so
the owner of the car doesn’t lose any valuables.”
“We do not open most cars. The wrecker ser
vice does that, but it is legal,” McDonald said.
“We are not in the business to break the law.”
He said the University Police have a policy of
using A-l Wrecker Service because “they’re more
responsible and cheaper and they have a guarded
service lot,” he said.
“We use the best service available, but we don’t
have a contract with them.
“And if a car is towed away, usually the owner
just checks with us and we give them the location
of the service and they go pay their $25 to get their
car back,” he said.
If anything illegal is found in a vehicle during an
inventory before it is towed away, the owner is not
exempt from criminal prosecution.
If your car is damaged as a result of opening it,
then you have to show that someone was negligent
or that an unreasonable means was used in open
the vehicle.
Housing kills senate request
By TERRY DURAN
Battalion Staff
Despite a one-year delay requested by the student
senate, the Department of Student Affairs will imple
ment, in Fall 1981, a poficy that would exclude most
graduate students and fifth-year seniors from on-
campus housing.
The policy reads: “Effective with the Fall, 1981
semester, on-campus residence hall housing will not
be guaranteed for graduate and fifth-year students.
This policy will remain in effect thereafter until the
shortage for on-campus housing eases.”
Under the policy, a student would normally be eligi
ble for housing only for eight long-term semesters after
his original housing application, regardless of whether
the student lives on campus all eight semesters.
Resident advisers and students who hold Residence
Halls Association executive positions are exempted
from the eight-semester limit as long as they hold their
position.
The policy provides for an appeals committee com
posed of: the housing services coordinator, who will
chair the committee; a student affairs staff member;
two RHA representatives, one member at large and
one officer; a representative from the Corps of Cadets;
a graduate-level resident adviser; and a representative
from the student senate.
Dr. John Koldus, vice president for student ser
vices, met Feb. 9 with student organization leaders to
explain why the policy was being put into effect despite
a Feb. 4 student senate request for a one-year delay in
its implmentation to give those affected more time to
make arrangements for off-campus housing.
Student Body President Brad Smith said Koldus
told them the cost to freshmen unable to live on cam
pus was not balanced by the moratorium’s benefit to
the upperclassmen.
“It wasn’t a case of the university not listening to the
student senate,” Smith said. “They listened to us, but
they made the decision they felt they had to make.
“I think this is the first time since I’ve been here that
Koldus has not gone with the senate,” he said.
Two parts of a three-bill series opposing the policy
were passed by the student senate Feb. 4. One bill
called for a one-year delay in implementing the policy;
the other asked university officials to seek input from
affected groups before making such decisions in the
future.
Smith said University officials agreed to ask for
input from students affected by such decisions in the
future before taking action.
The third bill would have censured the student
affairs department (“a strong verbal slap on the wrist, ”
said the bill’s author) and asked Acting President
Charles H. Samson to review the policy, originally
suggested by then-President Jarvis Miller in the sum
mer of 1980.
Off-campus graduate student Fred Seals, the author
of the bills, was unavailable for comment on the deci
sion to go ahead and put the policy into effect.
RHA President Sherrie Balcar said she thought the
decision was “very fair, real explicit.
“The appeals process will take care of any areas not
taken care of in the policy,” she said. “I’m glad the
policy is being implemented immediately to give
freshmen more (on-campus) housing in the fall. ”
Finance major Craig Hayes, who has lived in Aston
Hall for four years, will be a graduate student in the
fall. “It doesn’t bother me,” he said, “because I’m
going to move off-campus in the fall anyway. I appreci
ated getting a room when I was a freshman, but it’s
time for me to go off-campus now.”
Dale Schaffer is also moving out of Aston after four
years, but he said “kicking fifth-year seniors off-
campus is pretty low.” . «* j >
Schaffer, a civil engineering major, said, I don t
think it’s right to kick a student off-campus until he’s
gotten a degree. 1. can see graduate students being
excluded, and I agree with the part about freshmen
living on-campus their first year to see what’s going on,
but some degrees require a lot of summer school if you
want to graduate in four years. If you have to work
during the summer to make money, there’s almost no
way you can get out in four years, unless you take 20
hours a semester.”
Eight of the seventeen degree programs offered in
the school of engineering require 140 hours or more,
which would call for 17 or 18 hours every semester to
graduate in four years.
Schaffer added that students who only need one
extra semester to finish would have difficulty finding a
short-term lease for an apartment.
Senior finance major Valerie Sollars said she will go
through the appeals process to try to keep her room in
Krueger Hall.
“I can’t afford an apartment,” she said, “and I don’t
have a car.”
Sollars said she would probably have to get a job to
finish out her last “two or three” semesters in an apart
ment if her appeal was not successful.
Computing science graduate student Guylaine Pol
lock said she agrees with the policy itself, but dis
approves of the way implementation is being handled.
T would have appreciated some other way than a
little slip in the mailbox saying, ‘Sorry, you can’t live
here anymore.’”
Students who will be affected by the policy were
notified by a slip left in their post office box.
A bill currently before the student senate would
suggest shifting rooms to freshman priority after stu
dents already living there choose to leave the dorm,
rather than immediate and universal implementation
of the policy.