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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 17, 1981)
Battalion Serving the Texas A&M University community Tuesday, November 17, 1981 College Station, Texas USPS 045 360 Phone 845-2611 The Weather Today Tomorrow High . . 78 High . . . 77 Low . . 60 Low . . . 60 Chance of rain 10% Chance of rain . 20% lY Students line up outside of Rudder Exhibit Hall Monday, the first day ol pre-registration. Long lines were the order of the day as thousands turned in registration card packets, but the lines moved smoothly as the process continued. Pre-registration ends Friday. GSSO-A&M testimony begins; sociologist to testify today Chronology By DENISE RICHTER Buttulion Staff HOUSTON — It will he a long time before socializing as a gay group at Texas A&M University is a popular thing to do, a former member of the Gay Stu dent Service Organization testified Monday in a federal district court. Monday marked the opening day of testimony in the GSSO-Texas A&M trial. The GSSO is suing Texas A&M for official University recognition. “Recognition would prove that you aren’t dealing with twisted minds and outlaws, and would be a step in the direction of bringing things out in the light, said Dr. Sheri Skinner of Hous ton, a founder and past president of the GSSO. If the group was recognized it would be allowed to use on-campus facilities and receive financial support from the University. The GSSO was denied University recognition in May 1976. After a four- year battle over a legal technicality, the case finally is being tried on its merits in U.S. District Court. Attorneys for the GSSO have said the refusal to grant recognition is a violation of the gay group members First Amendment rights of free speech and assembly. The complainants are seek ing compensation for damages resulting from Texas A&M s refusal of recogni tion, court costs and legal fees. In opening remarks. Patrick Wise man, lawyer for the GSSO, said the organization only must show that the gay group members' First Amendment rights office speech and assembly were violated by 7 the refusal. U.S. District Judge Ross N. Sterling, who is presiding in the case, agreed that the ease raised First Amendment ques tions. But the only issue to be tried, he said, is whether there is a compelling state interest to override the members After a four-year legal battle, the GSSO suit against Texas A&M University finally is being tried on its merits in a federal court in Houston. Here is a brief synopsis of past action: April 1976 — GSSO asks for official University recognition May 1976 — University denies the group s request November 1976— Dr. John J. Koldus, vice president for student servies, writes a letter explaining Texas A&M s official position February 1977 — GSSO files a federal civil rights suit November 1977 — U.S. Dis trict Judge Ross N. Sterling dis misses the suit First Amendment rights. Lonny F. Zwiener, assistant attorney general representing Texas A&M, said the defense plans to show that Universi ty recognition of the GSSO would lead to increased homosexuality. Because the rate of venereal disease among homosexuals is much greater than among the rest of the population, condoning homosexuality also would contribute to a spread of the disease, he said. At the beginning of the trial, Wise man requested that some of the GSSO s witnesses be allowed to testify anony mously because of the embarrassment and possible danger that publicity would cause. However, Sterling refused Wise mans request. The first day s testimony recapped background information on the GSSO’s February 1980 — Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans sets aside the federal court decision, citing a 1978 Sup reme Court ruling which states that local governing bodies can be sued for money damages March 1980 — Texas A&M appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court December 1980 — The Sup reme Court refuses to hear Texas A&M's appeal October 1981 — Texas A&M requests that the trial be delayed. However, this motion was denied. November 1981 — The trial opens in U.S. District Court with Judge Sterling presiding. quest for recognition. The GSSO originally did not intend to apply for University recognition but only wanted permission to distribute flyers and posters on campus, Skinner said. However, Dr. John J. Koldus, vice president for student services, told GSSO representatives that such pri vileges were awarded only officially rec ognized organizations, she said. Koldus then told the group that, if they filed an application, he would re ject it, Skinner said. Their request, filed in April 1976, 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. “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 con trary to and in violation of the Penal Code of the state of Texas. However, Skinner said Monday that "the group never intended to promote homosexuality. “The message the GSSO seeks to con vey is to inform students ... of the fact that gay people live and function the same as anyone else with the exception that their choice of a romantic partner is of the same gender, she said. In the letter Koldus said another reason for denying recognition is that the GSSO wanted to provide services to students, including referrals, educa tional information and speakers. “Student organizations do not have the educational experience, the respon sibility nor the authority to educate the larger public, the letter said. “The re sponsibility for the education of the stu- j dents at Texas A&M resides by law with the Universitv administrative staff and faculty.” The group currently provides a speaker’s bureau and a telephone refer ral service for gays seeking psychologic al, medical, legal or other types of aid. Skinner said despite the refusal, and the ensuing legal battles, the GSSO has continued to serve the gay community. Since 1976, the group has met periodic ally and membership presently' num bers between 30 and 40. The group receives about three in vitations a semester to speak to campus j groups and classes on gay lifestyles, she said. William Simon, a sociologist from the University of Houston and an expert in the field of sex research, is scheduled to testify today, Wiseman said. The trial reconvenes at 1:30 p.m. Reagan to propose arms cutback United Press International WASHINGTON — President Reagan, launching a dramatic new peace initiative, is ready to propose slashing to near zero the number of U.S. and Soviet nuclear weapons in Europe, top White House aides say. Aides said Reagan will unveil the recommendation in an address Wednesday at the National Press Club in Washington. It will be his first major foreign policy pronouncement. Reagan s speech will lay out the posi tion the United States will take when talks open in Geneva on Nov. 30 on reducing the U.S. and Soviet interme diate range nuclear missiles arsenals in Europe, aides said. The speech is aimed, in part, at coun tering the heavy fallout over his recent comments on the possibility of a limited nuclear war on European soil between the superpowers. The remarks caused an uproar in Europe, where there has been a recent wave of anti-nuclear pro tests. Reagan has been sharply criticized in recent weeks, accused of failing to have enunciated a coherent foreign policy that will be understood and appreciated abroad. Aides said the U.S. has two goals in the negotiations: to offset anti-nuclear sentiment mushrooming across Europe and to get Moscow to agree to get rid of the SS-20s completely at the same time. The U.S.-Soviet talks are expected to ' be lengthy' and involve the NATO Alliance’s decision to deploy 572 Per shing II and cruise missiles in five Euro pean countries beginning in December 1983. NATO decided in 1979 to deploy the missiles in West Germany, Britain, Ita ly, Holland and Belgium specifically to counter the SS-20s, whose 2,500 mile range enable them to strike as far west | as Britain. Store to gain selling area, shelving space enter after a against idge of B Divi- r> Intk- ile Bill ran the iid Bill B All- ip l llS * •eiiuous is vie- Bookstore to refurbish during holidays By GRETCHEN RATLIFF Battalion Reporter ' Customers of the Memorial Student Center Bookstore will be in for a sur prise after the Ghristmas holidays. Renovations — including removing the lockers and moving the bookstore entrance and the candy store — are underway to utilize some of the wasted space in the first floor bookstore, said Don Powell, Texas A&M director of business services. When the renovations are com pleted, the bookstore will have gained 1,413 square feet of selling area. And a total of 960 running feet of shelving space will be available. Howard DeHart, retail bookstore manager at the MSG, estimates the re novations will cost about $81,000. He said a lot of the equipment presently in the store will be used, including the current office furniture, so a limited amount of additional equipment and fix tures will have to be purchased. f Customers may have to deal with a f few minor inconveniences during the ; renovations, but most of the work will he done during the Ghristmas holidays, he said, predicting completion of the project by the spring semester. DeHart initiated the idea for the re novations three years ago. This will be the third major renovation of the book store since 1973; the other two involved the basement level bookstore. He said the bookstore originally was designed to accommodate 20,000 stu dents. Yet, enrollment at Texas A&M University has increased by about ' 16,000 students since the store’s 1973 opening in the MSG. “Really it was already too small to handle them,” DeHart said. Powell agreed, saying it was difficult to serve customers with the former layout. “The basic idea (of the renovations) is to make the store more functional for Staff photo by Dave Einsel Sophomore building construction major Fred Tepera from Northshore returns a bag checked at the newly constructed Memorial Student Center bookstore checking facilities by Bob Holton, a sophomore petroleum engineering major from Houston. The new checkpoint was one of the first of many renovations to he made at the bookstore during the next few months. customers,” he said. One of the first bookstore changes was the removal of storage lockers from the entrance. The locker system has been unsuccessful in keeping custom er’s belongings safe and it has been tak ing up valuable sales area, DeHart said. “We’ve tried it every way in the world, but it just will not work, he said. At presenUstudents must leave their belongings on the floor outside the bookstore, but eventually tokens will be given when belongings are left at a check stand near the new entrance. Stu dents will use the takens to reclaim their possessions after they have finished shopping. The new entrance will be where the candy shop is now, at the southeast en trance of the MSG. The candy shop will move to the area previously occupied by the lockers, pro viding a 30-percent increase in candy shop space. A fudge-making machine will be installed in the shop and a lot of the candy will be made there, DeHart said. Snack items which are being sold in the bookstore will also be moved to the new candy store location. The snacks were introduced in the bookstore on an experimental basis, mainly because stu dents asked for them, Powell said. In another change, seven cash regis ters will be installed at the bookstore’s east end. Four of these registers will be collapsible so they can be used during rush periods. And when they are not needed, the collapsible registers can serve as display stands. Bookstore offices will be rebuilt be hind the new candy store location. Too much room was being used for office space, DeHart said, and the offices needed to move to a non-selling area. The space the offices occupied will be used to expand the T-shirt sales area. DeHart said because the sales of fashion clothes have not equaled T-shirt sales, the fashion clothes will be discontinued. Carpeting in the bookstore is another item to be removed. Vinyl tile will be laid in heavy traffic areas and in areas where merchandise is moved across fre quently. In other areas, old carpeting will be replaced. Powell said the downstairs bookstore will be getting new carpet also. Debate at 8 tonight in theater By NANCY YVEATHERLEY Battalion Stall The separation of church and state, a heated issue among politicians and citizens alike, will be debated tonight at 8 in Rudder Theater. Fred Mason, executive director of the Moral Majority in Texas, and John B. Duncan, executive director of the Texas Civil Liberties Union will de bate the rise of the church in secular matters of state. Duncan, a native Texan, did under graduate work in government and taught economies at Austin College and Texas Tech University before joining the Texas Civil Liberties Un ion in 1973. Mason is a retired U.S. Arms ma jor, having served for 21 s ears. I le has been active in politics, sei s ing on fed eral, state and local political cam paigns. Organizations such as the Moral Majority, Inc., svith evangelist- leader Jerry Falsvell, and the Christian Voice, svhich rated members of Con gress on hosv they voted on sensitis e issues, are training their fbllossers and encouraging them to vote for sup ported principles. The question of church and state separation has become a critical issue svith some citizens svho argue that the organizations violate the principles of the nation. Even some religious leaders like Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum of the Amer ican Jesvish Committee bas e said the “crusaders are s iolating the lass. “They are s iolating Article Six of the Constitution, sshieh says there must not be any religious test for bold ing office, Tanenbaum said in a Newsweek article. Tickets for the debate, presented by the MSG Great Issues Committee, are on sale at the Rudder Box Office. Cost is 50 cents for students and $ 1 lor non-students.