fficials react to Tate’s resignation
1
By RITCHIE PRIDDY
Sports Editor
Jniversity officials have expressed
ligret over the sudden resignation of
Marvin Tate as Texas A&M athletic di
rector, but Head Coach Tom Wilson
says the shake-up won’t affect the foot
ball game Saturday.
■Tate, 48, submitted his resignation
piursday to enter private business.
■‘It is with mixed emotions that I sub
mit my resignation,” Tate said. “I have
■roughly enjoyed my relationship
with the A&M faculty, staff, students
and former students and all of the
Bletes and coaches here. At the same
tinu I feel that the dynamic Bryan-
Coilege Station area offers tremendous
[business opportunities.”
[The Texas A&M Athletic Council,
eting Thursday afternoon, said it had
leived Tate’s resignation and
iproved it. Dr. Charles Samson, chair-
|n of the Athletic Council, said the
2il accepted his resignation and
wished him the best of luck in his busi-
mess ventures.
| iThe council expressed its apprecia-
ion to Marvin. We’ve appreciated his
pication to his job and the Univer-
^ ■Jniversity President Frank E. Van-
pvn said he has received Tate’s res-
Hation and wished him well in the
I —
private sector.
“While I have not known Mr. Tate
over a long period, ” Vandiver said, “I do
know that he has been associated with
Texas A&M’s athletic program during a
period of unparalleled growth — parti
cularly in terms of physical facilities,
fiscal affairs and expanded programs —
and he has obviously played a major role
in these activities. I am sure I speak for
everyone interested in the University’s
athletic program, Aggies and other fans
alike, in expressing gratitude for his ser
vice over the years.”
Wilson said he was shocked at Tate’s
decision to step down.
“I was shocked and disappointed,”
Wilson said. “We’ve had a close work
ing relationship and we’re personal
friends.”
Asked if Tate’s resignation would
have any effect on the team this Satur
day, Wilson replied: “I should hope that
it wouldn’t affect the team at all. Marvin
wasn’t doing the coaching.”
David Bandy, senior center for the
Aggies said that Tate’s resignation
would not have any detrimental effect
on the team.
“It won’t affect us at all. We’re play
ing for the school, not for just one man,”
he said.
The unanswered question: Why?
By ANGELIQUE COPELAND
and
JANE G. BRUST
Battalion Staff
Everyone knows Marvin Tate resigned as Texas
A&M’s athletic director. What no one knows is why.
Or, if they know, they won’t say on the record.
Numerous high-placed University and System offi
cials are talking off the record, and they all are confirm
ing the same story: some person or persons gave Tate
two options, resign or be fired.
Action such as removal of the athletic director
should be taken by members of the University’s Athle
tic Council. However, Council Chairman Charles H.
Samson said council members knew nothing of Tate’s
resignation prior to his announcement Thursday.
A good place to start looking for the people behind
the resignation is the Board of Regents. History shows
that this is not the first time someone has resigned
because of pressure from the board. Three such inci
dents have occurred in the past three years:
— former Chancellor Jack K. Williams resigned in
January 1979 after Regent Royce Wisenbaker of Tyler
demanded that he be fired
— former President Jarvis Miller suddenly was
dismissed from his position in July 1980 after losing a
power struggle with System officials
— former Athletic Director and Head Football
Coach Emory Bellard resigned suddenly three years
ago, after Miller received criticism from Wisenbaker
and others about the Texas Aggie football team.
One University official said Tuesday that he knew
regents had discussed Tate’s resignation earlier this
week. “I know there’s been some concern (among
University officials) about a lack of direction in the
athletic department,” he said.
Another official confirmed the same, saying Tate
was “allowed” — by the board — to resign.
Names of two particular regents have surfaced re
peatedly in discussions of Tate’s resignation: Board
Analysis
Chairman H.R. “Bum” Bright of Dallas and Wisen
baker.
One source named Bright and Wisenbaker, saying:
“They didn’t like Marvin.”
One disgruntled board member said not only that
Bright was behind Tate’s resignation, but also that he
instigated it — without consulting other board mem
bers. Asking the athletic director to resign is not sub
ject to approval by the full board, he said, “as long as
you have the top man in there.”
However, Bright and his fellow board members
patently have denied any involvement with Tate’s
resignation.
Bright said he first found out about Tate’s resigna
tion Tuesday afternoon when a Dallas sportswriter
called to ask if he knew anything about it. Bright said
he told the reporter he didn’t and that he had no
reaction to it.
“The Board of Regents do not, should not and will
not get into the assignment of personnel in the Univer
sity,” he said.
Wisenbaker also denied involvement. “I had no
thing to do with it,” he said, “and I don’t want to
comment on it.”
If the regents were not the ones behind Tate’s res
ignation, one might speculate that newly appointed
President Frank E. Vandiver initiated the resignation.
However, no sources have implicated Vandiver in any
way.
Prominent alumnus Keith Langford, Class of ‘39,
reached an obvious conclusion.
“I have no earthly idea what happened,” he said.
“The board said the board’s not behind it. Vandiver
said he’s not behind it, and I’m not behind it.
“Obviously, somebody is lying.”
Battalion
Vol. 75 No. 19
16 Pages
Serving the Texas A&M University community
Friday, September 25, 1981
College Station, Texas
USPS 045 360
Phone 845-2611
The Weather
Today
High 90 High
Low 70 Low.
Tomorrow
90
68
Chance of rain 10% Chance of rain 10%
-
ury returns
nanslaughter
onviction
tk>]
By RANDY CLEMENTS
Battalion StaiT
|oel Ancieto Quintans, charged with
capital murder of Frederick Axel
fengberg IV, was convicted of the les-
I charge of voluntary manslaughter
rsday. The seven-woman, five-man
deliberated seven hours before re-
idering the verdict.
However, 272nd District Court
Mge Bradley Smith sequestered the
un until 9 a.m. today at which time
fey are scheduled to begin delibera-
' r.s to assess punishment.
|As the verdict was read. Quintans,
puls clasped in front of him, sat mo
tionless with a fixed gaze at Smith.
^Quintans’ parents sighed with relief
as the jury said Quintans was not guilty
the capital murder and murder
rges, but quieted and lost all ex
pression when the voluntary man
slaughter verdict was read.
Youngberg’s father, holding his
wile s hands, closed his eyes, lowered
his head and then shook it as the verdict
was read.
The verdict was returned following
fan hours of closing arguments by
Quintans’ defense attorneys, Doug
■ulder and Roland Searcy and the pro
secuting attorney, Travis Bryan III.
Mulder questioned the validity of
Quintans’ confession statement, given
Robert E. Wiatt, special investigator
for the district attorney, saying it was
ortened and put in Wiatt’s words.
In earlier testimony Wiatt admitted
shortening the statement but said if he
had not it would have been 400 pages
long.
Mulder did not accept Wiatt’s ex
cuse. “If they are going to crucify the
boy based on his statement,” he said,
“at least have the common decency and
fairness to have it in the boy’s own
words.
“There are no degrees of fairness. It’s
like being pregnant or dead; you either
are or aren’t.”
In an attempt to back up Quintans’
claim of self-defense, Mulder stressed
testimony which indicated Youngberg
was violent.
Quintans testified last week that
Youngberg threatened him with a knife.
They struggled and in self-defense, he
said, he grabbed the victim’s hand
which was holding the weapon and
made him stab himself 24 times.
“The prosecution must prove by the
... evidence given, beyond a reasonable
doubt, that Joel Quintans did not act in
self-defense,” Mulder said.
Bryan set out to do just that, arguing
that Quintans lied to police several
times and tried to cover up his actions.
“Every time he gets caught in a lie,
he is just like a quarterback with an
option — he pitches out until he gets
caught again,” Bryan said.
“This man (Quintans) reminds me of
a panther— strong, quick, calm, with a
lust for tearing. He’s cool and cunning,
and it’s going to take common sense to
see through his story.”
Jurors for the Joel Quintans trial prepare to leave the Brazos County
Courthouse for their hotel where they were sequestered until this
morning.
hotel.
\ Staff photo by Becky Swanson
Brazos County sheriffs deputies drove the jurors to their
CS law allows
alcoholic drinks
at park activities
By BELINDA McCOY
Battalion Staff
Selling alcoholic beverages in Col
lege Station city parks is now legal as
long as the alcoholic beverages are sold
by organizations to their members at
park gatherings and as a package item
with food.
The College Station City Council
Thursday night revised an ordinance
which regulates the conduct of City park
users, allowing alcoholic beverage per
mits to be issued by city staff members
to organizations planning activities in
city parks.
The sale of beer — which council
members said would probably consti
tute the majority of alcohol consumed in
the parks — will be limited to members
of the organizations, and the sale must
be incidental to food consumption,
according to the revisions.
The revisions also gave the parks and
recreation staff the responsibility for
issuing permits to vendors, such as
snow cone and ice cream concession
stand owners, who wish to operate on
city park property.
In other business, the council in
structed city staff to begin a contract
study for the construction of a third city
water well. At the present, the city has
lease contracts for two water wells and
has access options to a third well owned
by Texas A&M University.
The University, however, charges
the city a higher fee for water usage than
a well company would charge the city.
North Bardell, city manager, said.
He said a third city well would also
help eliminate the possibility of another
summer water shortage similar to the
one encountered this summer.
The council also approved the con
struction of a concert pavilion in Central
Park. Plans were presented to the coun
cil in a workshop session Wednesday for
an amphitheater-like hall with berms
(grassy hills) which aid in acoustics.
Construction on the pavilion, which
may cost as much as $100,000, will be
put up for bid, Bardell said. The pavi
lion will be used for outdoor presenta
tions like concerts and theatrical shows.