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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 10, 1982)
opinion Battalion/Pap November 10, t Slouch By Jim Earle “I don’t know how he got ’em that high, but I’d sure like to meet him, or her!” Will she get what by Maxwell Glen and Cody Shearer Common or not, this story soon may be an important one. A woman falls in love with a man and delays her career to put him through professional school — only to be jilted after he graduates. Time was when friends might have counseled the victim to forget about Mr. Wonderful. But an increasing number of the forsaken are demanding legal retri bution, namely a chunk of their former lover’s paycheck. If the courts go along, the trend could alter the way men and women conduct their romances. In a matter of days, the consistently progressive New Jersey Supreme Court is expected to determine that a profes sional degree constitutes a form of divisi ble property. Lawyers for Bonnie Ryan, 34, are asking that her former husband, Dr. Robert Ryan repay their client for putting him through medical school. The lawyers argue that Dr. Ryan’s degree is, at best, the product of two minds and therefore jointly owned property. “We are asking the court to recognize that a professional education and license have a measurable value and that posses sing the training that goes with them is an economic benefit,” Ryan’s attorney told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “If acquired through marriage, that benefit should be divided in a divorce case.” Heretofore, most lower-court judges in the United States have held that pro ceeds from a professional degree don’t constitute divisible property. As their reasoning goes, knowledge acquired from schooling — not the certificate or degree itself — makes someone commer cially viable. Some courts, however, have compensated plaintiffs who have subsi- ficed. If such is the future trend, there’s a growing constituency for it. More cou ples than ever before are living together in the absence of a marriage contract. Meanwhile, with 60 percent of all women in the work force (and some of those earning respectable salaries), women are becoming economic equals, if not dominant partners, in many relation ships today. If anything, women are more capable of putting a lover through professional school than they were 20 years ago. This is not to say that males aren’t footing females’ school bills too. But, judging from the record, it seems that women are less inclined than men to stiff their benefactors. In any case, personal protection may be a natural byproduct of the times. New York’s Doris Freed, a family law expert affiliated with the American Bar Associa tion, recommends that couples, married or otherwise, enter into contracts outlin ing what each partner expects, particu larly when it comes to graduate school. Not surprisingly, the rush to “con tract” is easier said than done. In the pro cess of setting one’s expectations down on paper, tempers are liable to flare. One New York lawyer reports that even open- minded couples nearly have come to blows while discussing contractual clauses. Yet it’s somehow fitting that couples today would confront the prospect of a long-term relationship only after respon sibility for graduate school tuition bills has been resolved. Even in love, the baby- boom generation seems determined to get what it pays for. The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member ot Texas Press Association Southwest Journalistn Conference Editor Diana Sultenfuss Managing Editor Phyllis Henderson Associate Editor Denise Richter City Editor Gary Barker Assistant City Editor HopeE. Paasch Sports Editor Frank L. Christlieb Entertainment Editor Nancy Floeck Assistant Entertainment Editor Colette Hutchings News Editors Cathy Capps, JohnaJo Maurer, Daniel Puckett, Jan Werner, Todd Woodard Staff Writers Jennifer Carr, Wisan Dittman, Beverly Hamilton, David Johnson, John Lopez, Robert McGlohon, Carol Smith, Dana Smelser, Joe Tindel, John Wagner, Rebeca Zimmermann Copyeditors Elaine Engstrom, Chris Thayer Cartoonist Scott McCullar Graphic Artist Pam Starasinic Photographers David Fisher, Jorge Casari, Ronald W. Emerson, Octavio Garcia, Irene Mees, John Ryan, Robert Snider pressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M University administrators or faculty mem bers, or of the Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography clas ses within the Department of Communications. Questions or comments concerning any editorial matter should be directed to the editor. Letters Policy Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each letter must also be signed and show the address and phone number of the writer. Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, and are not subject to the same length constraints as letters. Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M Uni versity, College Station, TX 77843, or phone (713) 845- 2611. The Battalion is published daily during Texas A&M’s fall and spring semesters, except for holiday and exami nation periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semes ter, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Adver tising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting news paper operated as a community service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions ex- United Press International is entitled exclusively to' the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. Poor-mouthing superpowers by Art Buchwald If there is anything that upsets me, it’s when the leaders of the two major super powers start poor-mouthing their own nuclear weapons capabilities. We saw a disgusting example of this last week when Leonid Brezhnev stood up in front of 500 of his marshals and generals and told them the United States was ahead in the arms race. He promised his military leaders he would do every thing to rectify the situation by spending more money for ngw weapons. thing Brezhnev told his generals the other day? Can you imagine the leader of a superpower claiming his country was No. 2 when it came to wreaking nuclear havoc?” acai Applebaum said: “Brezhnev was only trying to save his own skin. If he told the Soviet military they were No. 1, then that meant he wasn’t going to give them more money for new weapons. He had to pla cate them by saying they were way behind The Brezhnev revelations came as a surprise to most Americans, who had been told by President Reagan and De fense Secretary Caspar Weinberger that the Soviets were ahead of the United States when it came to weaponry, and we were the ones who had to spend the money to keep up with them. I was so angry at the Brezhnev speech that I went to see my disarmament ex pert, Prof. Heinrich Applebaum of the Armegeddon Institute for Limited Peace. “Didn’t you think that was a lousy I said, “Okay, but why did Weinberger come right back and say Brezhnev was lying and we were a weak No. 2 in the arms race?” “Weinberger had to say it or Congress would cut his next defense budget to rib bons. If Weinberger said we were No. 1, he wouldn’t have a military leg to stand on when it came to building an MX mis sile system.” “So you think they were both giving us a snow job?” “Not necessarily. The fact of the mat ter is that neither superpower has any idea who is No. 1 or No. 2. When both have the capability of blowing u| world, the question becomes anyway.” “Then why would Brezhnev go the trouble of saying his weapons technologically inferior?” “Because when you’re in an arms you always have to say the otherp ahead. Otherwise Brezhnev wouldi hard time persuading the Soviet! he still had to buy more guns before got any butter.” “So you think it was wiseofRe and Weinberger to call Brezhnev by saying we were the ones whi playing catch-up?” “They had no choice. Our r arsenal is second to none, but jus cause we can pulverize them and thet pulverize us isn’t enough of a deter any more. You have to developai generation of weapons to wipeout other guy’s stuff before he can “Then how can you stop it?’ “There is only one way. Onesided declare its nuclear superiority over other, which it will never do, becaii will he too much of a threat totheotl* Rape is rowing v ountry ai nay be a c In the p he Depa \ffairs Tu dappen I she dearly paid for? dized their lover’s professional school ing, in recognition of career time sacri- R; pr by vomen di: )f the viol ion, defer To best leisig, a m ity Police' hould: wa aware of tl and thesiti A from i Formei retary Orv author rec award of presenting ized count ote agncu in Third \ Mitch SI 00,000 authors S four-day ence on I Texas AS dent Fran the confer The THIS IS A TEST,,, THIS IS ONLY A TEST,,, IF TH/S HAP Bffll AN ACTUAL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN ANNIHILATED,,, Letters: Keep religion out of classe Editor: A recent article in T he Battalion stated that Professor Walter Bradly from the Department of Mechanical Engineer ing was enlisting student support to pressure professors in having outside speakers come to the campus to present a Christian point of view. I am concerned about this development at our University for the following reasons: 1. We are a campus of 37,000 stu dents, not all of them Christian. A clas sroom should not be a Sunday School room. 2. The Christian point of view as seen through the eyes of Dr. Walter Bradly is not necessarily the point of view of other Christian groups. 3. State-supported universities should adhere to the policy of separation of church and state. 4. It is not the mark of a great universi ty to force-feed religious doctrine to stu dents in a classroom. The good name of Texas A&M Uni versity is being hurt. The appropriate forum for a Christian point of view is the evening lecture series which this group is sponsoring. their comfort and support. Their en couraging words really meant a lot to me. I would also like to thank the para medics who took care of me on the way to the hospital as well as Dr. King and the medical personnel at the TAMU Health Center. In this day and time, it is nice to know that there are still people who care enough to lend a helping hand, even if it is just a reassuring word, everyone who helped me to know biophysids Manche Ultras used to c heart mur of the arte: 1 wouldi echo froi will never forget their kindness tome,1 'iontoX-r each and every one of them, I offerJ thanks. Jennie Mae Clu Texas A&M Maintena® Crew I Carol Parzen, Director B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundation Jewish Student Union Thank you for caring Editor: I would like to say “Thank you” to some special people who came to my aid in a time of need. Last month while on the job at Texas A&M, I had an accident. As I lay waiting for the ambulance to arrive, I realized just how much an assur ing word can mean for someone who is as afraid as I was that day. 1 would like to express my deepest appreciation to my supervisor and to my co-workers for Berry’s World by Jim Berry ©1982 by NEA, Inc CgfrjSeM-Tr “After all these have been saying as I said it to the dog!” years, son, I realize ‘good boy’ to YOU I as should mud 1 Or of by I A Texa: part of a i studying p effects fro ning, whic images of bouncing sound wav Dr. D; professor ( ogy and attempting safety of dures. He Dr. Dougl: from the mom, and sound wav ■sis or CA' problems are unable tan produ and tissues