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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 5, 1981)
Viewpoint The Battalion Texas A&M University Thursday March 5, 1981 Slouch By Jim Earle J-S8I ‘What will she wear when it really gets warm? Han d- wringing tim e on education front By PATRICIA McCORMACK United Press International President Ronald Reagan hasn’t dis patched termites to bring down the nation’s schoolrooms or colleges, but anguish along education row gives that impression. Among prognosticators of bad times as a result of Reagan administration proposals are the two teachers’ unions — the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. Their worry is over “multiple attacks” threatening public education. Included is the tuition tax credit plan promised by Reagan during his campaign, under which parents of private school stu dents would get a tax credit for a portion of money spent on school. The unions say this would strengthen pri vate education, kindergarten to 12th grade, and weaken public schools. With a financial incentive, the worry is, droves of parents would pull their kids out of the public schools and head them for the privates. Albert Shanker, president of the 568,000-member AFT, reacted thus to the news that a multi-billion dollar tuition tax credit bill was being introduced in the Un ited States Senate: “Today’s announcement ... (of) a tuition tax credit bill designed to help primarily those in upper income brackets poses a se rious threat to our public education system. “The American Federation of Teachers, along with other civil rights, labor and na tional education groups, strongly believes that tuition tax credits are a massive tax expenditure that our nation cannot afford.” He described the proposed credits as “a major new tax subsidy primarily benefiting higher-income taxpayers.” The NEA Reporter, newspaper of the 1.8-million member National Education Association front-paged its battle plan in red and black type: “As attacks on public education multi ply, NEA fights to stop tax credits for private school tuition, to save teacher cen ters and other key centers, to keep cabinet status for education.” A front-page cartoon shows a giant plow bearing down on a little red one-room schoolhouse — a solitary bell topping its roof. Planted nearby: a flagpole flying Old Glory. Hand-wringing among officials in higher education, meanwhile, starts in the presi dent’s office and passes down the organiza tion chart. The biggest worry stems from student aid cuts. Officials in private and state colleges and universities say cutting would zap a lot of kids’ chances for a degree. The American Association of State Col leges and Universities, for example, says students at schools in at least 25 states would be particularly hard hit by cuts in student aid under consideration by the Reagan administration. “AASCUfs conclusion is based on pre liminary budget figures (showing) major reductions in the Pell Grants (Basic Grants), National Direct Student Loan and Guaranteed Student Loan programs,” the AASCU said in its “Memo” to college presi dents. The 25 states are those in which the tui tion for resident undergraduate students is $800 or more for 1980-81. Ostar said in most of the states, room, board and other costs add at least $2,200, usually more, to the school bill. The states cited: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michi gan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Is land, South Carolina, South Dakota, Ver mont and Virginia. AASCU president Allan W. Ostar, in Washington, D. C., says the proposed stu dent aid cuts would “greatly increase the burden on state and local taxpayers at a time when many states are in deep fiscal trouble.” “Some states already have cut appropria tions and state student aid for higher educa tion, and many others may have to do so,” he said. The ASSCU’s John Malian, a vice presi dent, said the median family income in 1980 was $20,000. “Few families at that level can afford to send even one son or daughter to a college costing $3,000 to $4,000 without some out side help,” he said. Malian said the seriousness of the prop osed student aid reductions is made much worse by the fact that the Reagan adminis tration also plans to phase out the Social Security student benefit program. This helps some 700,000 students of de ceased, disabled and retired parents. Warped Growth turning into obesity Texas A&M University in the year 1990. As in the past, this is the fastest growing university in the nation and enrollment has topped the 60,000 mark. On-campus parking has become a joke. On-campus housing has become the subject of dream, and driving in College Station, a nightmare. An exaggeration? Don’t bet on it. The enrollment of this University has doubled in the past ten years and who’s to say it won’t do the same in another ten? Granted, such growth has given this Uni versity yet another reason for its well- deserved notoriety, but do we need it? Don’t we already have enough notoriety with a reputation for academic excellence and spirit unparalleled by any other college or university in the nation? I can’t help but wonder if this rapid growth may soon reach a point of dimi nishing returns. The bottom line, it seems, is that some thing should be done to slow things down Staff notebook By Bemie Fette before the Aggieland many of us have grown to know and enjoy becomes an im personal monolithic mass of concrete and confusion. The predicted enrollment for Fall 1980 was 31,552 according to the 1978-1983 Mas ter Plan (the blueprint used by those Uni versity administrators who plan for the Uni versity’s growth). That 1980 figure had already been surpassed in 1978. vious record set last Spring at 29,302,all percent increase. And another record We shouldn’t be too surprised if ini not-too-distant future, it should taki ability of an Olympic athlete just to mat to class on time ... and in one piece. \ Admission standards should be raised give the University a chance to catelj with itself. The great majority of us, it seems, woij agree that there’s definitely somethingij cial about both this University and thosti us who are a part of it. So, granted iti seem unfair to deny anyone someth# special. But for now, at least, alinesl® be drawn. Healthy growth is fine. But wheaii healthy growth begins to border on obesi problems are sure to develop. Recently the official enrollment for this Spring was reported by the office of the Registrar at 31,427, up 2125 from the pre- A&M’s rapid growth may look god the surface, but the possible adverseA f beneath the surface certainly deserved sideration. mm Si i Dq: p.m H lasei C ICcn phol weal ’4*....iky"-- • -.'A It s your turn Pr tie ( * was Hi i a I Ac in Soviet Union Editor: Concerning the article Tuesday March 3 about closing Prairie View, I think it is ridi culous when the federal government can tell a person where and where not to go to school. That’s all we’ve been hearing from these “bleeding heart liberals” for the past 10 years and Tm tired of it. Black people share a common heritage and culture and they should be allowed to express it in their own university if they wish to do so. No body has forced those who are attending Prairie View to do so. But forcing them to go somewhere else for an education is infringing on their freedoms and rights to choose where they want to go to school. I come from a German family and they live in a German community because they enjoy the culture that they share. Now, for the sake of integration, does the govern ment have a right to force them to live in downtown Houston? No! But that is what these liberals would like you to beheve with all of their harping on integration. Are we going to let these politicians run our lives like the government does in the Soviet Un ion? There they tell you where to work, where to live, and where to go to school. In America we supposedly have the right to share a common culture if we so desire and I think that the liberals should keep their noses out of our business and go to the Soviet Union if they want to tell people how to live. Darrin B. Lewer season little if any effort was made to control the crowd when the opposing team was shooting free throws or when an official’s call was questionable. Leadership on the part of the yell leaders was lacking all season and fan behavior was becoming less control led until it simply came to a head due to frustration during the TCU game. I have seen yell leaders take control in some he ated situations so I know it can be done. It is my opinion the yell leaders simply failed to perform their duties adequately both in basketball and football. When elections for yell leaders are held the end of this month let’s keep in mind the job that was done this year and elect men who will represent A&M with the dignity it deserves rather than the prima donnas we’ve had in the recent past. If there are good men at A&M who are more concerned with doing a job than about the ego trip they get from being in front of a crowd, file for one of the yell leader positions this, spring. A&M can use you, and please learn the correct signal for “Farmers Fight.” I don’t intend to put all the blame on the yell leaders. They were not the ones throw ing things on the court or booing. Let’s get with it Ags, our behavior as fans was not what it should be nor exemplary of things we believe in. So let’s show the class that has set us apart as fans. Kenny Ray Yell leaders lousy Through with Nightline Editor: After reading Richard Oliver’s article on the behavior of Aggie fans at the TCU bas ketball game I felt compelled to express my opinion as well. In no way do I condone the behavior of the crowd at this game or in several of the past games nor do I feel any one person is responsible, but I do feel much of the responsibility must be accepted by the yell leaders for the job they have done. Continuously throughout the Editor: I am through watching ABC-TV’s late night news. Ted Koppel, Sam Donaldson and the gang do one of the most si of manipulating the public I haveeversff They are in as glowing a limelight as journalist, and they are making a disgui display. I have always thought their presenl was a little slanted, but their coverai the Reagan administration is just# much. Besides the fact that most of theim ing is either sob-stories or sordid sei for greed or schizms among the Repul party, they seem to take it for granted welfare state is the only form offairgovi ment. It doesn’t take much to look and see food stamps and welfare checks created the worst kind of poverty- that has no pride, no end, and wli; victims have no desire to make theirt'" any better. And where does Ted find those “avei Americans,” anyway? I wish he would into my home and ask me some quesiii I know that as a conservative journi I’m mostly alone. The election of Roi Reagan put my political philosophy onll line. All I ask is that those broadcast fatt* give capitalism a chance. It is what ere* the well-paying jobs they’ve got. They haven’t been alone in theirfallfe clean journalism. Most of the newspap' have been running wire stories that areji as bad. The job of the news media is top the public the most accurate infom#' they can, analyze it to a point, but not interpret the public thought. Why the)' sist on making such a mockery of thatJ never understand. Marilyn FaulkenbeC noi‘ By Scott McCullar The Battalion MEMBER ISPS 045 Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress 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, Bernie Fette, Cindy Gee, Kathleen McElroy, Belinda McCoy, Marjorie McLaughlin, Kathy O’Connell, Ritchie Priddy, Rick Stolle Cartoonist Scott McCullar Photo Editor Greg Gammon Photographers Chuck Chapman Brian Tate 160 The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper if students in reporting, editing and photography classes within the Department of Communications. Questions or comments concerning any editorial matte' should be directed to the editor. LETTERS POUCY Letters to the Editor should not exceed 350 words t« length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. Tie editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style ^ length, but will make every effort to maintain the authors intent. Each letter must also be signed, show the address and phone number of the writer. Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, and not subject to the same length constraints as letters Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, ft Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843. EDITORIAL POLICY The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper operated as a community, service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Bat talion are those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions ofTexas A&M Universi ty administrators or faculty members, or of the Board of Regents. The-Battalion is published daily during Texas A&M sf* and spring semesters, except for holiday and examin«t$ periods. M ail subscriptions are $ 16.75 per semester, per school year and $35 per full year. Advertising ^ furnished on request. 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