Battalion
Serving the Texas A&Al University' community
* • ‘t
■ ■ •
11
£ | ' • ,
I / * ,
^ ‘
USPS 045 360
Phone 845-2611
The Weather
Today
Tomorrow
High
76
High
.. .80
Low
58
Low
.. .63
Chance of rain. .
. . . 10%
Chance of rain
. 20%
A&M gay recognition
to reach court Monday
By DENISE RICHTER
Battalion Staff
After a four-year battle, the Gay Student Services Organi
zation Monday will appear in a Houston court again seeking
University recognition.
Texas A&M University is the defendant in the civil trial
which will be set during a Monday morning docket call in the
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Hous
ton Division.
“We’re on the docket and we’ll probably go to trial that
afternoon,” defense lawyer Jenny Graffeo said. “We re not
certain about (the trial date) but we’re preparing for it as if we
go on trial Monday.’’
Texas A&M applied for a continuance in the trial several
weeks ago, a motion which was not opposed by the GSSO.
However, U.S. District Judge Ross N. Sterling, who will
preside during the trial, denied this motion.
Representing Texas A&M in addition to Graffeo will be
Lonnie Zwiener and Ann Kraatz, assistant attorneys general;
James B. Bond, vice chancellor for legal affairs; and Ted
Hajovsky.
Patrick Wiseman, of the Nelson and Mallett law firm in
Houston, will represent the GSSO.
Defendants cited in the case are: Dr. John J. Koldus, vice
president for student services; the late Jack K. Williams,
former president of Texas A&M; Clyde Freeman, executive
vice president, and the Texas A&M System Board of Regents,
individually and as representatives of the University.
The plaintiffs, Michael Minton, Keith Stewart and Patricia
Woodridge, were members of the GSSO when the original
federal civil rights suit was filed in 1977.
The organization requested official University recognition
in April 1976, a request which was denied the following
month.
In November 1976, Koldus stated the University’s position
in a letter to the GSSO explaining the reasons for the refusal.
In the letter he said according to Texas A&M regulations
the University can only recognize organizations whose goals
are consistent with the philosophy and goals of Texas A&M.
The GSSO conflicts with those goals, Koldus said.
“Homosexual conduct is illegal in Texas,’’ the letter said.
“and, therefore, it would be most inappropriate for a state
institution officially to support a student organization which is
likely to incite, promote and result in acts contrary to and in
violation of the Penal Code of the State of Texas. ”
Koldus said another reason for denying recognition is that
the group wanted to provide services to students, including
referrals, educational information and speakers.
“Student organizations do not have the educational experi
ence, the responsibility nor the authority to educate the
larger public,” the letter said. “The responsibility for the
education of the students at Texas A&M resides by law with
the University administrative staff and faculty. ”
The GSSO filed a civil rights suit against the University
Feb. 28, 1977. The suit stated denial of recognition forced the
group to find off-campus meeting sites which was expensive
and limited the number of persons who could attend meet
ings.
The organization also sought damages to compensate for
the lack of recognition and to cover court costs and legal fees.
On March 22, 1977, the Board of Regents said they would
“proceed in every legal way” to keep gay groups “from orga
nizing or operating on this or any other campus for which this
Board is responsible.”
The University argued that it could not be sued for money
damages and in November 1977, Judge Sterling dismissed
the case. However, in February 1980, the 5th U.S. Circuit
Court of Appeals set aside the federal court decision.
The appeals court cited a 1978 Supreme Court ruling
which stated that local governing bodies could be sued for
money damages under federal civil rights laws.
Local governing bodies include universities, the court
ruled.
Texas A&M appealed this ruling to the U.S. Supreme
Court in March 1980, arguing that the appeals court decision
.was in error and conflicted with other rulings.
Lawyers argued that if Texas A&M — “which has no exist
ence independent of the state” — can be sued under a federal
civil rights law, then any other agencies of the state of Texas
could be subject to the same type of suit.
On Dec. 8, 1980, the Supreme Court refused to hear Texas
A&M’s appeal. This action meant that the case finally could be
heard on its merits in federal district court in Houston.
Work finally underway
Staff photo by Dave Einscl
iter
13
The centerpole is up and
bonfire construction have
the last stages of
begun. The pole
broke when it was raised Friday. Repairs were
made and it was erected Tuesday.
-P
"hi
^ hat
5
V
t
TEC
igher
expected to approve
Saudi crude prices
United Press International
GENEVA, Switzerland — OPEC
ailed an emergency meeting today pre-
licting grudging agreement on a Saudi
lemand for a uniform $34 base price for
.amove that will raise U.S. prices
wo or three cents per gallon on gasoline
and heating oil.
With oil prices and the cartel’s influ
ence declining, representatives of all 13
OPEC nations hoped the session in the
grand ballroom of the Geneva Intercon
tinental Hotel would end the pricing
ittle that threatened to destroy the
organization.
Itwas their third emergency meeting
in five months but OPEC officials and
industry experts predicted a relatively
easy agreement this time after the two
Mures.
I am very confident that this time
we will leave Geneva with something
concrete,” OPEC president Dr. Sub-
roto of Indonesia said just hours before
the meeting opened. “I am hopeful we
can finalize it as quickly as possible.”
The meeting was to last only one day,
but several delegations said there was a
possibility talks could linger into
Friday.
To reach a unified base price of $34
per barrel, Saudia Arabia would have to
increase its $32 price by $2, and most
other countries would have to lower
their base prices $2.
The changes would boost prices to
the U.S. consumer two to three cents a
for gasoline and heating oil,
according to the Petroleum Industry
Focus to be
published
tomorrow
This week’s Focus will be published
on Friday instead of today.
Television listings which normally
appear in Focus were delayed in the
mail. And rather than publish incom
plete listings today, editors decided to
delay publication until Friday at
which time full listings should be
available.
The Battalion regrets any incon
venience this may cause to readers.
Research Foundation Inc., because
U.S. domestic crudes follow Saudi
prices.
OPEC countries still could charge
above the base price for higher quality
crude, but Saudi Arabia wants pre
miums limited to $3 per barrel and
wants the new pricing scheme in effect
through Jan. 1, 1983.
OPEC has not had a unified oil price
since 1979, a year after the Iranian re
volution when Western consumers
were willing to pay more for secure sup
plies.
Earlier this year, prices ranged from
Libya and Nigeria at $41 per barrel to
Saudi Arabia at $32. Saudi Arabia’s
Sheik Ahmed Zaki Yamani warned high
prices were damaging Western econo
mies and forcing them to use other
fuels.
Yamani’s call went unheeded for two
years. He finally used Saudi oil reserves
— the biggest in OPEC — to flood the
market with cheap oil.
That, combined with energy conser
vation in the West, created a worldwide
glut of oil and ended demand for high-
price crude. By this summer, most
OPEC countries found it impossible to
sell at old prices.
Malfunction
causes loss
of phone use
A computer malfunction caused a
shut down of long distance service and
seven local phone exchanges
Wednesday.
Telephone number prefixes 693 and
696 were the only lines not affected,
said Virginia Garner, division service
office manager at General Telephone
and Electric. Exchanges that were out
of service were 779, 775, 822, 823, 846,
845 and 260. Long distance for all ex
changes was also down.
The computer went out at 2:15 p.m.
and was returned gradually to different
areas throughout the afternoon, Gamer
said.
She added that the system has mal
functioned before, but not as many ex
changes were affected.
The American Petroleum Institute
reported Wednesday that U.S. imports
were only 3.3 million barrels of crude a
day last week — the lowest since 1975.
Many OPEC countries are short of
money and one oil expert said on the
eve of the Geneva meeting that “OPEC
in fact has its back very much up against
the wall.”
United Press International
WASHINGTON — The Senate gave
Reagan a major foreign policy victory,
provided further evidence of his power
of persuasion and cleared the way for an
$8.5 billion arms sale that he says is vital
for Middle East security.
“Thank God,” Reagan sighed
Wednesday after being told the uphill
Senate battle on his proposal to sell five
AW ACS radar planes and other equip
ment to Saudi Arabia was over and he
had won. The vote was 52-48.
“Because of actions like today’s by
the Senate, the cause of peace is again
on the march in the Middle East,” he
said. ‘ For this, all of us should be
grateful.”
A few days ago, Reagan seemed to be
on the brink of defeat. But as he did last
summer when his budget and tax cuts
were in trouble, Reagan rallied and
turned a wave of foes into supporters.
The final four converts — Republi
cans William Cohen of Maine, Mark
Andrews of North Dakota and Slade
Gorton of Washington and Democrat
Edward Zorinsky of Nebraska — came
hours before the 5 p.m vote, giving
Reagan his victory margin.
It is the largest single foreign arms
sale in U. S. history and one in which the
diplomatic implications are yet to be
felt, especially as far as future U.S.-
Israeli relations are concerned.
In a victory statement read in his Oval
Office, Reagan said:
“Today’s action by the Senate will not
only strengthen Saudi-American rela
tions but will also protect our economic
lifeline to the Middle East, win favor
among moderate Arab nations and con
tinue the difficult but steady progress
toward peace and stability in the Middle
East.
Reagan awoke at the White House
Wednesday knowing he was within
reach of victory, having received the
support of 10 senators the day before,
four of whom had either opposed or
were leaning against the package.
He resumed his search for votes
Wednesday, making telephone calls
and sending a letter to the Senate out
lining a set of Saudi-American security
arrangements on AW ACS, which will
not be delivered to the oil-rich kingdom
until 1985.
At about 9 a. m. the Senate opened
debate and an hour later received
Reagan’s letter.
Shortly before 11 a.m., Gorton
switched and joined Reagan’s side and
at 2:26 p.m. Cohen announced he
would vote with the president, sealing
the administration’s victory.
Reagan could have won with just 50
votes, half the Senate’s membership.
A majority was needed to pass the
resolution of oppostion. The House ear
lier passed a similar resolution, but both
chambers had to oppose the package to
veto it.
Andrews and Zorinsky formally
switched sides when the tally began at 5
p.m.
After the tally was announced. Sen.
Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., a defeated
AWACS foe, said the about-face by so
many members on so big an issue “is
unprecedented in the time I’ve been
here.”
13.4 percent increase in B-CS area
Car insurance rates to rise Nov. 1
By RANDY CLEMENTS
Battalion Staff
Auto insurance rates for the Bryan-
College Station area will increase 13.4
percent effective Nov. 1, but this will
still be less than the 16.3 percent state
average increase.
However, for five segments of cover
age in Bryan-College Station, the aver
age increase is higher than the over-all
state avarage.
With a 19.6 percent increase, this
area will have the largest rate increase
in the state for liability coverage of bodi
ly injury.
Property damage liability will in
crease 16.9 percent; personal injury will
increase 12.7 percent; $50 deductible
comprehensive will increase 23.1 per
cent and $200 deductible collision will
increase 11.4 percent.
This is a 16.7 percent average in
crease from the old rate for the same
coverage.
The State Board of Insurance, a 3-
person board appointed by the gov
ernor and approved by the senate,
approved the increase because of the
rising cost of repairs, parts, doctor bills
and hospitalization, said Thomas Jack-
son, assistant director of the board’s
auto section.
The board sets auto insurance rates.
It reviews the rates every year by look
ing at increases in costs for repair and
increases in the severity of damages, he
said.
The cost of repair werit up at a faster
rate than the amount of accidents has
gone down, he said.
“The number of accidents decreased
last year, but the severity (amount of
company has to pay for has gone up
because of inflation, Jackson said.
The rate increase is based on compar
ing Class 1A, use of a vehicle for plea
sure only, with the other classifications,
the assistant director said.
Jackson said it works on a distribution
and redistribution system, redistribut
ing premiums to groups having more
expensive losses. And the total loss pic
ture for the state is used to determine
the rate, he said.
Jeff Andrick, a State Farm Insurance
agent, predicted the increase will not
affect the volume of new business, but
“There is little savings to lower liabil
ity coverage,” he said, but there are
ways to cut down the premiums.
The higher deductible of comprehen
sive and collision coverage the driver
has, he said, the lower the premiums.
Anything that places more risk with
the insured driver and less with the in
surance company will result in lower
premiums, Andrick said.
Also to pay lower premiums, he sug
gested that car owners have cars re
evaluated when they are seven years old
or older.
“The person may feel the car has
reached a value that it isn’t worth having
full comprehensive coverage on it. The
best way to have the absolute lowest
premiums is to have a policy with the
absolute highest deductible offered,”
he said.
Buck Williams, with the Allstate Re
gional Office in Dallas, said insured
drivers can keep their premiums as low
as possible by driving defensively.
“Don’t speed, don’t have accidents,
park your car in a protected area, lock
your car when it’s parked and never
leave your keys in the car,” he said.
A person having one negligent acci
dent in a three year period, with more
than $200 damage, will receive a 15 per
cent surcharge on their liability, he
said.
Two negligent accidents and the per
son will get a 35 percent sucharge; three
and it will be a 60 percent surcharge;
and four or more in a three year period
will result in a 90 percent surcharge, he
said.
A discount for car pooling, driver
education from high school and having
more than one car is also offered, he
said.
Andrick said taking a defensive driv
ing course will lower the insurance pre
miums about 10 percent for three years
on liability, property damage, medical
payments, personal injury protection
and collision coverage.
Lucy Batten, an ANCO Insurance
agent, said the impact of the rate in
crease hasn’t hit everybody yet.
The increase will not go into effect on
an individual basis until the next pre
mium is due, she said.
Reagan wins arms battle.
Senate clears path for deal