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
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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.