m
opinion
A&M has ‘off-the-record’ epidemic
Take heart, Aggies. The entire
Bright-Vandiver-Schembechler-Wilson-
Sherrill affair has been explained. Un
fortunately, once again, the explanation
was made off the record.
We can again tell you who instigated
the cloak-and-dagger hiring of Jackie
Sherrill.
Unfortunately, we just aren’t sup
posed to tell you who told us.
We can tell you that it’s been con
firmed again that the Board of Regents
initiated the coup (i.e., the hiring of the
new athletic director and the firing of
Head Coach Tom Wilson).
Unfortunately, we still aren’t sup
posed to tell you who confirmed it, when
it. was confirmed or why.
We told you on Jail. 19 that Texas
A&M President Frank E. Vandiver had
offered his resignation the night before.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t tell you
how we knew this.
We can now tell you that Vandiver de
cided Friday to clear the air with mem
bers of the Academic Council, who were
upset with the University’s new million-
dollar coach, and called a meeting of the
Council.
Unfortunately, the invitations to the
meeting were stamped “confidential.”
Neither the press nor the public were
denise
■ * richter
/ &
supposed to know what went on.
But we can still tell you that Vandiver
confirmed his first resignation attempt
and offered his resignation again at this
meeting.
Unfortunately, the meeting had been
closed for discussion of “people and
money;” therefore, these statement were
made off the record.
We can tell you that during this closed
meeting, Vandiver received a vote of
confidence after his second resignation
attempt in two weeks.
Unfortunately, we can’t tell you who
initiated the vote of confidence. We can’t
identify him. No one can identify him.
Once again, the press and the public
are mired in a swamp of confidential
sources, secrecy and off-the-record ex
planations.
This epidemic of off-the-recorditis
isn’t anything new. In September, we told
you that Athletic Director Marvin Tate
had been forced to resign.
Unfortunately, we weren’t supposed
to tell you why he was forced to resign or
who had done the forcing — the explana
tion was made off the record.
After five months of skullduggery and
subterfuge, it’s time for someone to de
velop a backbone. Someone, anyone,
must stand up and say, on the record,
exactly what has been going on at the
University.
Just for starters, they could explain
why Texas A&M has suffered nation
wide embarrassment in its search for a
new athletic director, and what role Van
diver and the Board of Regents played in
this search — on the record.
While they’re at it, they also could ex
plain why there seems to be a revolving
door on the offices of some University
officials — but say it on the record.
As we all know, Texas A&M is a school
of traditions — traditions that die hard.
But, for the sake of the University’s credi
bility, this “off-the-record-no-comment-
confidential-source” tradition has got to
go.
"A
-OOOOH. ICKYfff
DO WE HME
TO GET OUR
HANDS ALT
DIRTY?
Letter: Chancellor-Chairman Bum
Editor:
I am a part-time free-lance reporter
and would like to give you the latest
scoop:
Texas A&M University Systems Board
of Regents Chairman H.R. “Bum” Bright
of Dallas has been selected as the new
Texas A&M University System Chancel
lor. When asked to comment on his selec
tion as Chancellor, Bright said he was
glad to be the first person named “Chair
man-Chancellor.” Bright says he can now
unify the System with greater ease. As
chairman of the selection commitee Bum
Bright said, “We are pleased with the
selection we made for Chancellor and
feel I am the best person for the job.”
Texas A&M University President Frank
Vandiver today submitted his resigna
tion. Vandiver said, “I cannot effectively
operate as president without a back
bone.” Chairman-Chancellor Bum
Bright accepted Vandiver’s resignation
with deep regret. Bright said, “I am sorry
to see Frank leave, but if he has a medical
problem 1 guess he can’t help it; and I’ll
just have to name a selelion committee to
pick a new president. Named to the com
mittee to pick a new president were Bum
Bright, Board Chairman; and Bum
Bright, Chancellor. Chairman-
Chancellor Bright today decreed that all
football coaches at A&M must give blood
and have their first born named “Bum
Jr.” When asked to comment Texas
A&M football coach Bum Phillips, whose
$2 million a year contract makes him the
richest coach in the nation, said he
thought it was a great idea and would do
anything in his power to cooperate with
Bum Bright. Chairman-Chancellor
Bright said to call him “CC” Bum Bright
instead of Chairman-Chancellor. It is ex
pected that the selection committee will
name CC Bum Bright as the new Univer
sity President.
This completes my report on the
Aggie Administration and I will send you
further reports if anything else develops.
Cookies not the real problem
Editor:
I am finding it hard to accept the atti
tudes expressed by Mark Lynch in the
Jan. 28 issue of The Battalion. I am refer
ring to a letter in which he so brutally tore
apart Angelique Copeland’s editorial ab
out Girl Scout cookie con artists.
Chris Glaeser ’80
the small society
by Briclcman
Just exactly what is it that Mark would
like to find on the editorial page of The
Battalion each day? Many times this
space is given to articles which concern
themselves with the small trials and tribu
lations of everyday life. Consider the arti
cle written by Dave Spence appearing on
the editorial page Jan. 21, in which he
described his dislike of standing in long
lines. W’hy does Mark not find articles
such as that an atrocious “use of limited
space for a personal problem?”
While I agree that Copeland’s editorial
was not one of the most earth-shaking
features, I found it very interesting and
informative. If there are fraudulent
salespeople practicing on this campus,
then someone should certainly bring it to
our attention.
I cannot believe that Mark was actually
so upset over this simple article, nor can I
understand the big ordeal he made of it.
Why did he have to be so hard on her? I
believe that there is something bothering
him that extends far beyond an article
about cookies. I, for one, would love to
know just what is really is.
Jan Swaner ’83
“Sure, you can make good grades if you study, but where’s
challenge? Think of the stimulation of having your back againstth
wall, the semester is running out, your grades are behind, all of voiir
tests are scheduled for the same day and the odds are against you
then comes the thrill of seeing what you ’re made of!”
A. C. Hoi
puts dowi
All those times when
■New
you can’t win for
“May I help you?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’d like to sell these
books,” I answered.
“OK, let’s see what you have here," and
she took the box from my arms and be
gan to rummage through its bound con
tents. “Complete Plays of Shakespeare,
Basic Trig and Business Law. Oh I’m sor
ry. This anthology of Kierkegaard has
been revised. We can’t buy it.”
“How can you revise Kierkegaard?” I
asked.
“They rearranged the individual
works.”
“In other words, all they did was
scramble the pages to sell a new edition.”
“Oh, no. They also redid the cover.”
“There’s more in there,” 1 retorted,
pointing at the other volumes.
“Yes, this ... and this ... can’t take this ...
let’s see, that’s five ... and three, is eight...
and two ... and this ... I can give you ...
five dollars even.”
“For sixteen books?”
Do you ever feel that you are taken
advantage of as a student?
■i
by <
Batta
’he grave
.-i . sidewalks ar
UdV turn a simple
,. rpr strenuous w
opt stade course
Prarie film.
Prarie fill
of the epoxy
lure used fo
campus,
r The roc:
“Just sign there ... yes ... that’s fine.”
“What is this I’m signing?” I asked.
The girl with the polyurethane face
and the silicon hair sitting behind a
wood-veneered monolith answered me
completely, “It’s nothing.”
.“I see. Well, who exactly is my land
lord?”
“Well,” and she sat concentrating for a
moment, “I suppose it’s Omny-Foe-Tent,
the ownership firm of this complex.”
“I thought they owned Winchester
across the street.”
“They own everything within a mile
radius if this complex,” she replied.
“Oh. Well, when can I move in? I’d like
to be in town by the 28th so I can find a
job before classes start.”
Again, she answered me completely,
“That’ll be find. But we need a check by
the first of the preceding month to estab
lish credit for August’s rent, which is pro
rated for the 28th back to the 14th, so
your rent check will need to be for $260,
in additon to your deposit of $200, plus
to get utilities initiated, so that’ll be ...
$485.”
“But I’ll only be in the apartment for
two days ...
Sometimes this town seemstob« sla " e d on Ci
lated to squeeze every clollar fnr M ' aler ieai ''
vulnerable wallet. ... K “ m P'
, <ril , . .. 2,000 live o
Please step out ol the car, son. worth abwu
“Sure, ol fleer. What seems to W L never i
problem? Was I sp-?” nfijor peek
“May I see your license, son?" Horoughfa
“Sure,” and I dug nervously inifRav, direi
jacket, shaking and sweating like a: m; untenanc:
man, still not knowing what offense!. . And th
committed. Hr 01 ^ 1C
The patrolman scrutinized fflvlffjf e E et t ? sn ,
and handed it back to me. “Yourli®^. ' b | K s .
plate light is flickering. I’ll havew|M m e of the
you for the violation.” have adequ
“Geez, thanks, officer,” 1 couldnij support tin
from mumbling. W The first
“You been ch inkin', hoy?'' 1974 by <
Apparently, he had not notictfl tJ 0086 S ra '
age, 19, which legally protects nie® ushe< l lir
being called “bov.” Still, I answerdj^^^ ^
promptly, “No, sir.”
“Smokin’?”
“No, sir.”
“This your car, son?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Got your insurance papers
“My what?”
compact e
firm fount
stead, it te
under pr<
cracks in tl
(Yews ;
ers?”
There’s a new' law in the state
You must present pi oof (Xeroxcl®
etc.) of you liability insurance policjHfc
minimum of $ 10,000 per person
dent. Proof will be requested alonflE
your drivers license when youarepjW
over for any traffic offense— no
how minute. A first offense carriesljp
fine; second offense — $200.
I’m not a suspicious person.Doj£
me wrong. But wouldn’t a college'fm
drivers, many of whom don’t hf
thing about their insurance, seeml
police like ripe fruit begging tobf|
ed? Get those papers!
t
t
The Battalion
f
t
USPS 045 360
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
Editor Angelique Copeland
Managing Editor JaneG.Brust
City Editor Denise Richter
Assistant City Editor Diana Sultenfuss
Sports Editor Frank L. Christlieb
Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff
Assistant Focus Editor Nancy Floeck
News Editors Gary Barker,
Phyllis Henderson, Mary Jo Rummel,
Nancy Weatherley
Staff Writers .... John Bramblett, Gaye Denley,
Tim Foarde, Sandra Gary,
Colette Hutchings, Johna Jo Maurer,
Daniel Puckett, Bill Robinson, Denise S. Sechelski
Laura Williams, John Wagner
Cartoonist Scott McCullar
Graphic Artist Richard DeLeon Jr.
Photographers Sumanesh Agrawal,
David Fisher, Peter Rocha,
Colin Valentine
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Vri/G!i;U ,V, Y.';'XV:‘h'D '