Page 18 THE BATTALION
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1981
THE
AGGIE
TEX
STUDENT
EFRNMENT
M UNIVERSITY
*
£
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CONNECTION
The Aggie Connection is a monthly
newsletter published by the Texas
A&M University Student Government,
the link between students and admin-
istration.
Vol. 1, Number 2
Recurring problems to be solved w student input
Student Academic Council formed
to represent opinions on issues
When it comes to undying con
troversial issues such as Q-drop
policies, night exams, graduation
with honors and changing cur
ricula, faculty members and stu
dents don't always see eye to eye.
In an effort to remedy the imbal
ance of input and communication
between these two groups, the
Student Government Academic
Affairs Committee has formed a
Student Academic Council.
In the past, the strength of the
student voice relating to academ
ic matters has been nearly stifled.
There are 160 University adminis
trators, depatment heads and
deans on the University Academic
Council, and Ken Johnson, stu
dent body president, is the only
student representative.
"Even though the Student Aca
demic Council is still inthe or
ganizational stages, its purpose
will be to help present student
opinions in a favorable light to
the 160 members of the Academic
Council," Coordinating Chairman
Nancy Nelson said. "This project
is the culmination of several
years worth of work and we have
the support and interest to see it
through at this time."
The student input on academic
issues will come from members of
the sophomore honor society.
Lambda Sigma, junior honor soci
ety members and other students
interested in academic affairs.
Two members will form a contact
pair, and each pair will be re
sponsible for meeting the Aca
demic Council member from their
assigned department once a
month to discuss policy issues.
A lack of organized strength in
and between each college student
council and the Academic Council
has also been a problem for stu
dents.
"There needs to be a group 'up
on top' to coordinate efforts in
stead of having only one person
represent all college councils."
Lilli Dollinger, director of com
munications, said.
Kathy Bartholomew, Student
Government vice president of ac
ademic affairs, added: "There are
a lot of misunderstandings be
tween students and faculty. We
want to get in and talk with the
faculty and administration of the
Academic Council before bills are
passed. We want organized stu
dent input, and we're trying to co
ordinate this through every col
lege council. Then we can utilize
the influential people within each
college council to help us present
our ideas to the administration."
Bartholemew instigated the plan
for the new council.
Nelson said: "We are expecting
a favorable response from the fac
ulty and administration and we
think the students chosen for the
Student Academic Council will
gain their respect. We anticipate
that the council will be a viable
part of student/administration re
lations."
Furr awarded for
distinguished service
LAURA FURR (Spence.
Briggs, Underwood) was
selected outstanding senator
for the month of October for
her distinguished service in
Student Government. Her
constituents have been di
rectly affected by her in
volvement in three recent
bills:
(1) The Dorm Security Bill
resulted in better awareness
of female dorm security on
campus. Furr is now the Stu
dent Government represent
ative on the Texas A&M Safe
ty Awareness Committee.
(2) The Rat Control Bill, af
ter much research by Furr,
resulted in the clearing away
of underbrush in the Corps
quad area, where rats hide.
(3) The Consumer Safety
Bill deals with traffic prob
lems in the Skaggs shopping
center.
Furr, a senior elementary
education major, went door
to door in the three residence
halls she represents in an ef
fort to find out student opin
ions for the campus canvass.
She is presently working on a
bill that would allow diet soft
drinks to be sold at home
football games, so that
diebetics would not be dis
criminated against.
Editor's note: The senator
of the month is chosen by the
Student Government Awards
and Banquet Committee on
the basis of outstanding
committee and constituency
work and distinguished se
nate involvement.
Aggies give SC their 2<t worth
Was Your Voice Heard?
A senator's constituency is his
common denominator in making
decisions. Bearing this idea in
mind the Canvass is not statisti
cally accurate. The goal of the
Canvass is to be an indicator to
the senators of how to vote so that
their decisions will be representa
tive of their constituency's opin
ions on issues. The Canvass
simultaneously will aid in the job
of producing more informed vot
ers and better representative
senators.
Concerning recognition of Tex
as A&M's growing Greek system
the numbers show that the majori
ty of students polled are not ready
to accept Greek recognition. Stu
dents who live on campus dis
played a stronger objection to rec
ognition, as opposed to students
who live off campus, by voting
86.4 percent against and 10.1 pe-
cent for recognition (Y-788, N-92,
V-32). The task force on the issue
composed of representatives of
OCA, Corps, Inter-Fraternity
Council, Panhellenic Council,
RHA and Student Government
was formed last year by a senate
bill. This group will make a rec
ommendation on whether or not
Greeks should be officially recog
nized by the university and will
also discuss the question of a stu
dent referendum.
Due to the high interest level
exhibited in the issue of obtaining
cheaper long distance phone
services, the student services
committee is negotiating with two
companies (in an attempt to pro
mote competition) for the ability to
sell these services in the MSC.
Although the overwhelming
majority of students oppose the
issue of night exams as shown by
the 72.4 percent against night ex
ams and 25% in favor (Y-866, N-
2511, U-90), there remains the fact
that those who are most affected
by night exams are in favor of the
policy. By polling students clubs
in the college of business, the re
sults favored night exams. With
the academic college senators
polling their consistents with this
method, they were able to deter
mine their views. However, the
growing problem of unauthorized
night exams has been dealt with
by Vice President of Academic Af
fairs J. H. Prescott. No night ex
ams will be conducted without
prescott's specific authorization.
Those who use the service are
those who should pay for the
service was the sentiment reflect
ed by polling the majority of stu
dents on user fees. Students op
posed the policy of the continued
rise of student service fees for all
students when not everyone uses
the shuttle bus, health center and
intramural services. Although
there remains some disagreement
on the extent of the rate hike for
team sports, the idea of "those
who use, pay" is the opinion sup
ported by the majority of students.
Student Government is actively
working with the university ad
ministration on improving Easter-
wood Airport facilities due to the
positive interest shown by the ma
jority of students polled who ex
pressed an interest in a more es
tablished airline service. Howev
er, further surveys and more com
plete statistical data for market
ing purposes will be required to
finalize the project.
Summary of Canvass # 1.
25% 50% 75%
Greek m ~ m
—15.4
Yes
recognition
mm 79.4
No
mm 5.2
Undecided
m__25.0
Yes
m 72.4
No
mm 12.6
Undecided
■ 192.3
Yes
LD Phone
No
Service
1.4
Undecided
■ 186.7
Yes
Concept
12.8
No
mmmm .5
Undecided
-69.1
Yes
Service
STUDENT OPINION
CANVASS #2
FINANCIAL AID
1. Have you ever received a loan or grant or applied for a
student job with the Financial Aid Office?
YES NO Unaware of services offered
If yes, were there any complications?
YES No
If complications, due to: A) lack of staffing
B) lack of service attitude by
staff
C) lack of available informa
tion on deadline or proce
dures
D) paperwork hassles
E) others
CONSTRUCTION ON CAMPUS
2. Do you support using current student recreational and park
ing areas on central campus for new buildings?
A) for student use (dorms, etc.) only
B) for administrative purposes only
C) both
D) for no new buildings
Are you aware of the plan to build the University Press
building on the east end of Duncan field?
YES NO
TRAFFIC FLOW
3. Have you ever been hit by a bicycle or moped on campus?
YES NO Close Call
In your opinion, has the congestion of bicyclists, moped
riders and pedestrians on the sidewalks of central campus
reached the point of a traffic flow problem?
YES NO Undecided
What should be done?
A) walk bicycles and mopeds on
sidewalks from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and
provide plenty of bike racks on campus
perifery
B) restrict bicycles only to streets between
8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
C) limit vehicular traffic to allow more
bicycle traffic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
D) other
SUMMER SCHOOL
PRE-REGISTRATION
4. Will you know if you will be attending summer school at
A&M and which courses you will be taking by late March or
early April?
YES NO
If yes, would you pre-register for summer school?
YES NO
Name Phone
Living Area (Apt. or Dorm and #)
Academic College , Classification
Make your voice count
by completing the canvass form.
1. Save the form for your senator when he or she
knocks on your door.
or
2. Mail to: Student Government
216 MSC
College Station, TX 77843
or
3. Drop in canvass box in 216 C MSC, the Student
Government Office.
THE AGGIE CONNECTION
Editor
Assistant Editor.
Writers
Canvass Results
Director of Communications
Susan Hopkins
.... Shelley Starnes
.... Julie Caruthers
Donna Jones
Jill Anthony
Dennis Walters
Freshman Aides '81
Lilli Dollinger
The Student Government Office
is located in
216C MSC, 845-3051.
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