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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 31, 1981)
Back-to-School Edition The Battalion Peak enrollment still expected 35,000 Vol. 74 No. 192 72 Pages in 6 Sections Serving the Texas A&M University community Monday, August 31, 1981 College Station, Texas USPS 045 360 Phone 845-2611 Student enrollment at Texas A&M University this semester is ex pected to top out in excess of35,000, says Associate Registrar Donald Carter. More than 30,000 students have registered to attend classes, Carter said Thursday. But, final enrollment figures for the fall semester will not be available for about two weeks. “At the rate we re going now, we should have no problem at all reaching that number (35,000),” Carter said. Students can register for fall courses up to the 12th class day, Sept. 15, and the final figures will be tabulated at that time, he said. Vandiver shifting slowly into A&M president role y’s Games hes By JANE G. BRUST Battalion StafT Texas A&M University’s newly elected president made several ippearances on campus Friday and iaturday, meeting a variety of Aggies ind getting a feel for the campus he’ll icon call home. Speaking enthusiastically for himself md his wife Renee, Dr. Frank Everson Vandiver Saturday told a group of Aggie doms: “We re just tickled pink to be e. ” He brolte ation | rikingout! and after (t ad 18 in sw ; Red &» 348 iis first drinl ter that,” Ik “We love the place, love the people, I Q tYI ln< ^ ^°P e we can d° a good job. ” I dill Friday Vandiver visited the presi dent’s office in the Coke Building. That vening he and his wife attended the aew faculty banquet in the MSC, and Saturday they appeared briefly at the Federation of Texas A&M Mothers’ Clubs meeting. Acting President Charles H. Samson described him as an avid baseball fan and an outstanding racketball player. The Texas A&M System Board of Re- :he Atlanta § ents Wednesday selected Vandiver, 55, to serve as the 19th University presi- mpletelydif ^ ent > effective Tuesday. The regents announced the appointment at a special meeting at the University’s Research and Extension Center in Dallas. Board Chairman H.R. “Bum Bright said Vandiver was chosen on his acade mic credentials, his individual character and integrity as well as his leadership ability. Thursday Vandiver submitted his resignation as president of North Texas State University in Denton. He is a for mer vice president and provost at Rice University. A military historian and rmott ?h an alcohfr t had;|j| xcited aboiil representini for Bam “gas. s headed I) who has hai in the enter 1 as in base- n associated reats such ie Gleasoi ind Jimm; coholic, considered ven t says the 55 . “They cal holic.’ zie, er I came on! < me what! im I’d likete because he said, 'Al hot.’ mott says, ie ever 1 vent on as in a ^ it when a >r his auto- much, Mr. McDermott r. layden, the ii?” the lady it old? Jeez. I, isn’t he? mly 65. The ore he quit McDermott nuch scholar, Vandiver has published 10 books, most dealing with the Confeder ate Army during the Civil War period. In a press conference after the re gents’ meeting, Vandiver said: “I’m greatly honored. I have long been an admirer of Texas A&M — I’m aware of its traditions, accomplishments and its potential for the future. ” The native of Austin said he has a lot to learn about Texas A&M, and he men tioned that the matter of financial re sources is one area of concern. “A&M’s resources seem bountiful, but we must attempt to find new ways to fund the University,” he said. Vandiver named research as another area of interest. “I’m a firm believer in keeping research at the core of the Uni versity in the areas of current strength,” he said. “I would hope A&M’s general com mitment to liberal arts and humanities also will grow.” As for his role as administrator, the historian said he advocates an open door policy with his staff. “I think a problem (with university administrators) is that the upper levels of administration can become isolated from the institution it self. ” Vandiver said he does not plan to bring any staff members with him from NTSU to Texas A&M. He said he does plan to hold periodic meetings with student leaders so as not to isolate himself from the student body. “I feel such communication with students is very important,” he said. The administrator plans to have con tact with students in the classroom as well. One request Vandiver made of the regents was to be made a tenured facul ty member of the University’s history department. He said he would like to teach a class on some phase of 20th-century military history. The request is subject to approval by a University personnel committee. The new president will receive $90,000 a year, a furnished house — the president’s mansion on Throckmorton Street — with housekeeper, a car, gas, oil and maintenance. Vandiver and his wife will be moving into the president’s mansion some time in September. This week he will make a presentation at an international confer ence on military history in France. He said he plans to visit the campus periodically in the next few weeks to attend briefings with University and System staff. He and his wife hope to be moved out of Denton no later than Sept. 21. Vandiver married Renee Carmody in 1980. He has three children, Nita, Nan cy and Frank; Nancy is a senior history major at Texas A&M. Vandiver’s first wife died in 1979. The historian, often referred to as a genius, dropped out of school in the seventh grade in order to pursue inde pendent study and research. He re sumed his formal education at the gra duate level and holds a master’s degree in history from the University of Texas at Austin as well as a doctoral degree from Tulane University in New Orleans. “I don’t have a bachelor’s degree,” See VANDIVER page 6 Dr. Frank Everson Vandiver Samson explores varied avenues as he leaves office By JANE G. BRUST Battalion Staff After spending one year consumed with the responsibilities of a university president, Acting President Charles H. Samson says he will continue a fast pace even as he leaves the position. “I suppose that everything I can re call being involved in, I’ve let complete ly absorb my time,” Samson said Friday. “There are so many things that I enjoy doing — I get a lot of satisfaction from my professional activities. I enjoy research and I enjoy teaching, and I enjoy administration.” Samson, who has served one year as Texas A&M University’s acting presi dent, Tuesday will resume teaching when Dr. Frank Vandiver assumes the presidency. Vandiver was selected Wednesday by the Texas A&M System Board of Regents to become the Univer sity’s 19th president. Samson said he’s not one to set targets or milestones in his life. “I’ve never done that and I don’t plan to do it now,” he said. He said the key for him is focusing on those activities he deems productive. “Wherever the stream flows, if it’s an area I feel is productive, then I’ll let nature take its course.” Samson, an aerospace and civil en gineering professor, will teach a gradu ate engineering course in systems en gineering — an interdisciplinary course he has taught before. “I’m interested in my teaching activi ties, and I could very well get into re search,” he said. The professional en gineer said consulting is another possi bility. During the transition period, Samson will be briefing Vandiver on University affairs. Samson said such briefings might in volve subjects such as student activities and affairs, business affairs, budgets, fa culty matters and international affairs. “We’re making up his (Vandiver’s) calendar as it now stands,” Samson said. (L to R) Systems Chancellor Frank W.R. Hubert and Acting President Charles H. Samson discuss with Dr. Frank E. Vandiver his transition into the Texas A&M presidency at the University’s Board of Regents meeting Wednesday. “There are many meetings and activi ties that the president customarily will take part in, so we want to apprise him of that situation very soon.” Samson pointed out that a University president’s schedule fills up in a hurry. “Much of the activity involves travel and activities at night. I found them all enjoyable, satisfying and rewarding, but it does mean that you have to work to find chunks of time for corresponding and planning. ” As for current issues that the new president will face, Samson said in creasing University enrollment is a cri tical one but one with no easy answers. “I’d like to be in the position of being the critic of whatever approach some body follows because there’s no good way to approach the problem.” Texas A&M has been the fastest- growing university in the nation during the last decade. Fall 1981 enrollment is expected to surpass 35,000. “If we re to maintain quality teaching, research and extension, then either we have to keep up with uncon trolled growth, through facilties, staff, See SAMSON page 6 au ir event tonight Students will be welcomed back to school formally when they gather for All University Night in G. Rollie White Coliseum at 7:30. The All University Night program is a spirit rally which Head Yell Leader Mike Thatcher said is presented pri marily for the freshmen and the Aggie football team. Thatcher will serve as emcee for the evening. “The freshmen are the mainstay of the Twelfth Man,” he said. The event is also designed to show the support the student body has for the football team, he said. Thatcher said that All University Night is designed to be “an orientation to Aggie Spirit.” Yell leaders will lead the first yell j practice of the semester and the Aggie Band will also be on hand to perform. ; “As in the past, the emphasis will be on yell practice,” he said. Thatcher said that Head Coach Tom Wilson, Athletic Director Marvin Tate and Vice President for Student Services Dr. JohnJ. Koldus will address students during the program. Student leaders who will also appear include: Ken Johnson, student body president; Paul Bettencourt, Off- Campus Aggies president; Tim Ryan Residence Halls Association president; Doug Dedecker, MSC Council presi dent and Kelly Castleberry, Corps com mander. Merchants sue A&M over logo The right of Texas A&M University to register Aggie insignia and emblems has been questioned in a district court suit brought against the University by four local bookstores and a manufac turer. The University Bookstore, Loupot’s Bookstore, Texas Aggie Bookstore, Bother’s Bookstore and M&M Designs claim that the University does not have the right to register the insignia and emblems, nor collect a 6 percent royalty from manufacturers for their use. University officials, on the other hand, say that because these insignia and emblems reflect the University, Texas A&M has the right to control their use. The University has registered with the secretary of state the letters TAMU in any form, the ATM symbol, the A&M crest and seal, the “Gig ’em Aggies” slogan, the raised thumb symbol and the drawing of Old Sarge. \ , Local bars thirsty to lower legal drinking age Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series about the new Texas law which raises the state’s legal drinking age from 18 to 19 years of age. The law goes into effect Tuesday. By CATHY SAATHOFF Battalion StafT Trying to look your age takes on a whole new meaning Tuesday, when a new state law raises the legal drinking ; in Texas from 18 to 19. And odds are 18-year-old freshmen may feel cheated by the law, which takes effect at midnight. Local bar owners say they plan to enforce the law by checking identifica tion cards strictly. Yet this may present major problems for Northgate bars, especially on weekends when the area is jammed with barhoppers who wander from bar to bar and loiter in the street. The large volume of students who mingle at Northgate will make ID checking difficult. Most of the bars don’t have a cover charge, so people flow in and out freely in large numbers. “I don’t even want them (people younger than 19) in the place,” said Don Canter, owner of the Dixie Chicken, one of the most popular establishments at Northgate. Canter said he plans to check IDs at the door, because he fears customers buying beer for their under-age friends. Dennis Naylor, assistant manager of 12th Man and Co., just down the street from the Chicken, said management at the 12th Man hasn’t decided exactly how to deal with the law, but that check ing IDs at the door is apparently the only way to comply. Canter said the law probably won’t affect his business, but be contended it will be an inconvenience for all college students. “It’s a silly law,” Canter said. All bars and restaurants which serve alcohol will have to be alert now, he said, because of the number of students in town. Naylor said he expects the law to hurt back-to-school business, but not so much business in the long run. Canter said he thinks the law is aimed at keeping high school students from obtaining alcohol easily, but he doesn’t think it is the solution. “I think that it is an imposition on freshmen,” Canter said. “What they’re trying to do is stop these high school kids from drinking,” Canter said, “which is admirable.” However, he said, high school students are getting liquor from somewhere, either home or friends, and the law will hot stop the flow from this source. “They need to create a law that will prevent that, ” he said. A good way to do it, he suggested, would be to impose a stiff fine on parents of violators who are found either intoxicated or in possession of alcohol. “I think that you would see a great drying up of alcohol among high school students,” he said. “The Legislature has tried to put off on the alcoholic beverage industry the rearing of children, and it’s not right,” Canter said. “This law is not going to keep high school kids from coming to school drunk. ” Defining the issue as the “old enough to die for your country, but not old enough to drink” syndrome, Canter said the law makes the Texas Legisla ture look like “goody-two-shoes.” “I’m not for children drinking, and I would gladly do anything in my power to prevent it.” But, he said, he thinks it’s “a silly, archaic law.” Naylor expressed similar feelings. “If people want to drink, they’re going to find a way to do it,” he said. Rick Popielski, assistant manager of Faces, agreed that the law won’t keep youngsters from drinking. “I think it will make it worse, because people have been used to drinking, and they’re going to be desperate,” he said. Eighteen-year-olds who have been legally drinking since their last birthday will want to continue, he said, and will have older friends buy the alcohol for them. Faces employees say they already check IDs of all who enter the club, so there is no problem. But management at restaurants like Rebel’s Restaurant and Bar, where IDs are checked at the discretion of the waitress, face a unique dilemma. Customers under 19 who come to eat and are accompanied by parents will be let in, but IDs will still be checked at the door, said manager Jim Hayes. A student ID is not acceptable as identification, he said. Checking will be especially stringent during happy hours and on weekends, he said. It is hard to discern between 18- and 19-year-olds, Hayes said. “It’s going to make it harder on us and harder for them to get in,” he said. Canter said the Alcoholic Beverage Commission monitors bars regularly, and any who are found serving alcohol to minors will be fined or have their licenses suspended or revoked. ;; j ' i