opinion
Battalion/Page |
July 1,1
Slouch
By Jim Earle
7^-62
“Not only have I contemplated suicide, but I’m in the
process of committing suicide now as we talk — by hard
and robust living.”
Chancellorship
a hazardous job
Caution — the Texas A&M chancel
lorship may be hazardous to your health.
Historically, the University has ex
perienced its greatest change during the
administrations of its strongest and most
ambitious leaders — namely James Earl
Rudder, Jack Kenny Williams and Dr.
Frank W.R. Hubert.
Rudder’s administration was marked
by such changes as the admittance of
female students and optional member
ship in the Corps of Cadets. Texas
A&M’s phenomenal surge of growth be
gan in Williams’ administration and con
tinued to flourish in Hubert’s.
There’s definitely a correlation there.
So where are the leaders of Texas
A&M past?
Well, two of them (Rudder and Wil
liams) aren’t with us anymore.
The pressure involved in managing a
university system as massive as this one,
without a doubt, must take its toll on a
human mind and body.
Rudder died while in office from com
plications following a cerebral hemor
rhage. Williams was the victim of a
stroke.
There’s probably a correlation there,
too.
Hubert may find that his departure
from the position will be the only way to
survive.
In the late ’50s, the directors of the
University System charged the Universi
ty’s administrators that their watchword
and goal should be “excellence.” But, to
day’s Board of Regents will settle for no
thing less than “pre-eminence.”
It only can be assumed that the Uni
versity is, once again, at a crossroads in its
development.
And the leaders of Texas A&M today
are again some of the most ambitious
ever to grace the System’s high-level
offices and meeting rooms.
Goals for Texas A&M’s future have
only been hinted at by the University’s
present leaders. But, it’s a safe assump
tion that changes this institution will see
by the turn dl the century will make those
of the past seem pale in comparison.
Dr. Arthur G. Hansen shows all the
signs of being every bit as strong, innova
tive and ambitious as his well-known pre
decessors. He’ll have to be in order to
survive the physical, mental and emo
tional demands of the job.
There are just too many similarities to
see it any other way — the growth, the
change, the anxiety, the power struggles,
the personalities of past and present
leaders. The list could go on indefinitely.
Without learning from history, man is
destined to repeat his mistakes.
This is not to say that by moving into
the System chiefs office, Hansen (or any
one else for that matter) is signing his life
away.
But considering the current state of
affairs at Texas A&M, it’s safe to say Han
sen will age slightly faster than he would
if he had stayed on at peaceful Purdue.
Whatever hair hasn’t turned gray soon
will.
Future steps into System toda]
n
Often do the spirits
Of great events stride on before the
events,
And in today already walks tomorrow.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Today, the spirit of future great
events strides into the Texas A&M Uni
versity System — Dr. Arthur G. Hansen,
the new chancellor. And, as the above
lines state, tomorrow is walking into the
System along with Hansen.
Today is the beginning of a new era —
an era that can be a great extension onto
the succession of past eras of progress at
the Texas A&M System. Today, the Sys
tem begins to pull within the reins of its
new leader — to pull toward whatever
the future holds in store.
Hansen’s already-proclaimed view
points promise great advances for the
System — if only he can accomplish as
much as he desires to accomplish. It will
be a long hard pull; thejob is a tough one.
But, with the record of several strong
chancellors before him, thejob shouldn’t
be difficult.
On this, his first day on his new job, I
wish Dr. Hansen luck — no, more than
that, I wish him success. He has proved
And, he says he looks forward
personal challenge of his new job.
Wordsworth could have beendes
ing Hansen when he said:
pr<
A man he seems of cheerful yesten
And confident tomorrows.
by past experience that he can get thejob
done — and get it done right.
I believe he is more than just an ade
quate replacement. He is definitely an
effective leader, as his past record shows,
and he has the potential to be one of the
greatest leaders Texas A&M has ever
seen.
After having met Hansen, it is easy to
see that he and his experience will make a
definite extension to the chain of power
ful leaders this System has seen in the last
few years. His intelligence and good
humor are obvious; his love of students is
evident; and his devotion to excellence is
proven.
by (
Iki
That’s the way Hansen appeai» e phones
confident, experienced, true and iMJned tel
These are the qualities that can movIL, Gei
System further in the direction of'fompany
eminence.” Texas A&M can achievtB“on the
long-wished-for status of a “world Bill E rw ' n >
versity.”
The future — a word always
tioned in conversations at Texas Alt!
a word that suggests ominous clow
the horizon. But, when we talk
Hansen and the future, I believeweil
sunrise on the horizon. lerviced by
And so, in the words of another,! utility com]
to Dr. Hansen: iompanies
fterest in tli
The only limit to our re alia ^ c
tomorrow will be our doubts oftodam^
us move forward with strong andM Employe
faith. foi suspici
I jhborho
Franklin Delano Roo.J
r er, says.
GTE v
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Bryan
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expand
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“GTE’s;
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Letters: Married student housing
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77843.
My husband and I live in the Ball
Street apartments in married student
housing. We feel very fortunate to be
able to do so. However, this does not
make me blind to the management of
these apartments. I have seen several ex
amples of poor planning and financial
mismanagement (particularly in regards
to maintenance) since we have lived here.
I have always accepted it as a part of a
system that is older than I am and de
cided there was nothing to be gained in
trying to change it except a great deal of
frustration. That time is past.
It is no secret that the Ball Street
apartments were built as cheaply as possi
ble. So it comes as no surprise that one of
the balconies finally collapsed. Unfor
tunately, there were four people on it at
the time. The Director of Married Stu
dent Housing has taken steps to remedy
the situation (one that he has been ^ware
of for several years at least) by removing,
All balconies, even those that have been
recently repaired with metal braces. For
safety purposes the sliding glass doors
will be bolted shut. The fences of the
apartments downstairs will also be re
moved.
Now we come to the root of the prob
lem. The removal of fences and balconies
will leave the tenants without privacy,
and most importantly, with no place to
store bicycles and other “outside” prop
erty. This could possibly lead to very clut
tered and hazardous conditions on
breezeways and sidewalks, and will
afford a tremendous temptation to
thieves, who will probably yield to it.
I don’t think it would be too much to
ask that the fences and balconies be re
placed, especially since the rent will be
raised again in September. I think that
it’s time for the tenants to get together
and put a little pressure on the bureauc
racy. It’s time for the Director of Married
Student Housing to get his act together
and do thejob he is paid to do. It’s time
for a change.
fast in the Commons. As usual, I left my
books outside because the Commons has
a rule to the effect that one cannot take
books inside.
When I returned, my books were
stolen. Sounds par doesn’t it. The thief
didn’t steal anything but my books, not
even my notebook. He had to look ob
vious.
That little incident cost about $40. I
have seen and heard of many students
who have had books stolen in that same
place before me. It’s time something was
done about it. The little worm who stole
my books doesn’t deserve the benefits of
an education, much less the privilege of
being called an Aggie.
I’m not going to beg for something
back which was mine in the first place.
However, I will say this. “Aggies do not
lie, steal, or cheat, nor do they tolerate
those who do so.” Thief, you can bet that
neither I nor any other Aggie will toler
ate you if we catch you. If I catch you
stealing books, I’ll make you wish the
cops got there first. I believe any other
Ag will do the same. Just try to sell my
books somewhere, or keep on until you
get caught red-handed and I’m sure
some true Ag will give you what you de
serve.
had no idea at the time that thissigm j
meant for the regular semester ast I
lady informed me. I simply followed! I
rule, didn’t use the lockers and as
ward got my books stolen.
I called a manager in the food serrt
department and asked why the sign
left up during the summer and hesJ
“I’ll see about having the sign
down.” The sign is still there.
Besides this, there aren’t enoughloi
ers there in the first place for all thesi
dents who dine in the Commons
have books with them, people don't
ways have a quarter in their pockel
takes a quarter to use the lockers),!
other things could be done to prevent
theft. Among the things which could
done to stop this injustice would
remove the curtains around the stair# 1
so that students could keep an eye
their books while they eat. Also, thefo
services department could open u
ger dining hall or another dining
such as Duncan if “Kitty Korner"
little tots of the all sports camp) wasgoi
to be here all summer.
(i
On the other side of the coin, an ounce
of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
When I talked to a manager in the Com
mons dining area, she said: “We are not
responsible for stolen books, and we pro
vide lockers.”
I believe it’s time someone took re
sponsibility and acted like they cared.
The lockers the manager was referring to
are labeled for “off campus students.” I
Then, with less crowding, I’m sure"
are all adult enough to take books insi^
without creating all of the havoc anddi
aster the management seems to think# 1
occur if books are taken inside. I belie#*
can be neater and less messy with a
pie of books than those hoards of k«
running, spilling and screaming. How*
er, the management seems to haveffl®
faith in kids than in young adul
Thanks for the vote of confidence.
John R. Turn 1
P.O. Box 551
the small society
by Brickmqij
Cindy Caldwell
309 Ball St.
Theft in Commons
MAP ANV
JNTH£
MA^K^-r
LATELY
PLENTY- OcoV-
Wo\)5&, 6COQ-&YE- P&Tl . • •
SL
Editor:
Hey Ags, there is a thief among us.
About two weeks ago, I went to eat break-
©1981 King Features Syndicate, Inc. World rights reserved.
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