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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 11, 1983)
Mil—i—I——8—1M—M TOWSflKSSflMRiSSSa^^ Page 2/The BattalionAA/ednesday, May 11, 1983 ‘Escape artist’ learns lesson Prof speaks to students by Beverly Hamilton Battalion Staff I’m what defensive driving instructors call an “escape artist” — or at least I used to be. Many of these suggestions are simple safety precautions, but are too frequently ignored. Editor: This letter is to the students of Texas A&M: The events of the last week surround ing the resignation of the chemistry de partment’s First Year Program Director, Professor Rod O’Connor, can only be termed bizarre in my opinion. Prior to this, I have refrained from any public statement except in direct response to inquiries initiated by statements made to students and to the press by other parties. In view of the most recent event, I feel that I must make a statement at this time. I apparently am/or will be the focus of a law suit in which I am to be sued for allegedly damaging statements made in an uncirculated internal draft report which I did not write. That such action is even possible astonishes me. Even so, my own honesty and profes sional integrity have been put in ques tion, since I am accused of having plan ned to destroy this report. That allega tion is totally false. Even more disturbing to me is the propagation of rumors and statements which cast the faculty of this department and the administration in a role as anti student, anti-education and bent upon seeking out and instituting methods which are detrimental to learning. That is also totally false. The record of the chemistry depart ment in this area is a positive one and speaks for itself. The department’s Che mistry 101 and 102 courses should have a strong coordination of sections. No ma jor changes in Chemistry 101 and 102 have been planned for 1983-84. Whether significant changes occur beyond that point will obviously depend on many fac tors, including the identity of the new program director. Any such changes would reflect an intent to improve the quality of the program. I expect Professor O’Connor to re main a member of our faculty, and his teaching talents will be used in other courses of the department. An escape artist is a driver who con tinually passes cars to reach his destina tion faster. •Wear safety belts. Only about 10 per cent of the current driving population wears safety belts. I’ve changed my ways though. Yes, I’m a reformed escape artist. It all came about after I got my first speeding ticket. •If you’re going to celebrate that last final with a few beers, wait a few hours before you drive home. Alcohol is in volved in half the fatal accidents in the United States. Instead of paying my ticket, I chose to take the defensive driving course that is taught by the local Lion’s Club. ►Obey the law. If you’re not speeding, it’s less likely Joseph B. Natowitz Professor and Department Head I’m glad I did, too. I never realized how dangerous I was to other drivers. I never thought of myself as a poor driver and I’ve never had an accident. Sure, I sped on long trips — but not in town. You know how it is — everyone’s in a hurry to get home on the weekends. I now realize that was a poor attitude and a dangerous one, too. Not only did I learn how to take pre cautions, but I also was made more aware of national statistics involving traffic fata lities and automobile safety. Before you jump into your car to drive home after a long semester, think about a few of these statements. You could pre vent accidents — or even deaths. you won’t get a ticket and you’ll have an accident. •Drive as if everyone else on the road is demented and out to get you. This sounds like a statement from a paranoid person, but it’s actually one of the pre ventive rules taught in defensive driving. Whatever you do, don’t rush or let other drivers anger you. If someone be hind you is in a hurry or is tailgating, pull to the shoulder of the road and let them pass. You’ll reach your destination with out losing too much time and you’ll prob ably have better gas mileage, too. When you get home or when you come back to school in the fall, consider taking defensive driving. It’s a helpful course and could make a big difference in your driving habits — if you let it. O’Connor exams lack challenge, correct emphasis Editor: I would like to say a few words in praise of Rod O’Connor. By all accounts he is one of the University’s most talented lecturers. His lectures are vivid, energe tic, entertaining and clear. Now I would like to say a few words of censure for the exam structure of Profes sor O’Connor’s course. The system of attendence (actually of non-attendence), pre-tests and helpful cram sessions be fore exams encourage students to believe that they are only in chemistry to get through the exams. The inordinate focus on the exams makes students unhappy with teachers who will not teach them how to pass the exams. The main thing that students learn from such exams is that chemistry itself is not worth learning unless you get a high grade. When I was a freshman in college I had what I then considered the misfor tune to have the freshman chemistry coordinator at Cornell, Dr. Robert Plane, as my lab instructor. I was not prepared for such a hard course and I made a D. I thought that Dr. Plane should have given something like the pre-tests provided by Dr. O’Connor. In retrospect, I am glad that he did not. Dr. Plane’s class made clear to me that chemistry was an exciting thing to study. I was not a strong enough student to continue in chemistry but I learned that it was a field worth pur suing. It makes me very sad to see Rod O’Connor, whom I judge to be a more enthusiastic lecturer than Robert Plane, unwittingly teaching his students that chemistry ought to be easy or it is not worth learning. by Ray O’Connell guest columnist Well Aggies, it’s finally happened and perhaps it’s none too soon. It seems as though Aggies have finally become assi milated into the mainstream of American college life. at Texas A&M with our explosive growth and urbanization have perhaps become more “liberal.” It would make me happy to see fresh man chemistry restored to a system in which each teacher gave his own exams. It would make me even more happy to see Rod O’Connor accept the change and take his rightful place as a premier teacher and renounce his current role as a disillusioned and disillusioning sales man of pre-tests and good times. I base my claim on a visit to the Uni versity of Texas last week. I fully ex pected to see the two main types of tea- sips — the stereotypical “frat rat” and the quintessential “hippie freak.” When I think of the growth of Texas A&M, I think of the crises I’ve seen in my years here. Very few of the present undergraduate students can remember any of the various crises that affected me in my earlier years. Carlson W. Yost Visiting English Instructor What was disconcerting was that if I hadn’t known I was in Austin, I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference be tween the two student bodies. I didn’t notice much difference because we all seem to be dressing and acting alike these days. It seems as though UT has grown a little “conservative” in its old age and we The Battalion USPS 045 360 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. Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Letters Policy Editor Hope E. Paasch City Editor John Lopez Sports Editor John Wagner News Editors Daran Bishop, Brian Boyer, Beverly Hamilton, Tammy Jones Staff Writers Scott Griffin, Christine Mallon, Robert McGlohon, Karen Schrimsher, Kelley Smith, Angel Stokes, Joe Tindel Copy editors .... Kathleen Hart, Tracey Taylor Cartoonist Scott McCullar Photographers Brenda Davidson, Eric Lee, Barry Papke, Peter Rocha 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 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 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 telephone number of the writer. Columns and guest editorials also are 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 (409) 845- 2611. The Battalion is published Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during both Texas A&M regular summer sessions, except for holiday and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. 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. One crisis was the debate in the Stu dent Senate concerning the placement of the “Keep Off the Grass” signs around the Memorial Student Center. (It was argued that Aggies shoudn’t have to be reminded of such things.) The clash over who was paying for the walls and land scaping that now grace the main entr ances of the campus raged for several months. (One side said the former stu dents were paying for them and the other said that the funds were coming out of the building fees.) Both events were brut al, but they passed. dence to what it means when we say “I go to Texas A&M.” We wouldn’t have the immense amount of former student sup port that we do if it weren’t for two tradi tions — Muster and Silver Taps. These ceremonies give us a sense of sharing ourselves with fellow Aggies and there is no finer feeling in the world than partici pating in those events. When former stu dents call Texas A&M a second home, it is because of the times they have shared here with others. The backbiting I’ve seen in the past couple of years among students isn’t con ducive to the best of scholastic/university atmospheres. Yet it has been said that in an air of dissension the human mind is spurred to greater heights. Of course there were many other long forgotten crises of that time. From my time in the Corps I remember hearing about a cadet from years past scribbled “Of Army is Dead!!” in the steam tunnels beneath the Campus. Under those words was a ring crest impression in sealing wax. The cadet evidently was a member of the Class of’43. Maybe Of Army never was? We must remember why we are here at Texas A&M. Contrary to popular opinion, the sole reason we are here is not to be ground up in the academic grist mill. We have to keep a viable balance between scholastics and the other, more enjoyable, pursuits of Aggieland. What we all have to remember is that Of Army is only that time of our life in which we are here at Aggieland and not some mythical, unchangeable standard by which we must live come hell or high water. Thus I issue a challenge to all of those who remain here: Think before you criti cize a change, innovation or another per son’s beliefs about how things should be around here; and remember not only where Texas A&M has come from, but also that the superficial crises will pass and eventually be forgotten. (Probably within one or two years after you leave Texas A&M.) I seriously doubt that many Aggies today would like to go back to what Texas A&M was 25 years ago. It must have been wearisome shipping in all those women from Texas Women’s University and other schools for game weekends. I believe that if we accept this chal lenge we will never have to worry about being “just like the tea-sips.” There is one glaring difference be tween us and them. Aggies still are friendlier than the “sips“; I spent all day there and didn’t hear a darn one of them say “Howdy.” Yet, with all the forgotten crises and innovations over the past 107 years, there are a few things which remain stable. It is these things which lend strength and cre- O’Connell is a member of the Class of’79 and a senior history major. He will be graduating in August (finally, after two erstwhile sabbaticals.) When I took the course, thert people in the class who didn't there any more than I did. Bull positive attitude about thedassani! to learn as much as I could It was the people in the class didn’t pay attention and vd what was trying to be accomplishej worry about. I wouldn’t wantti same road with them. b 1 Of by R< It was many of those people-tjj included — who made the roaddsL ous to others. But I’m reformed.I ? n l J l ( < | ) ' ( " the course had the same effecton 'lf I , n , , in the Cass. pfr Rodger Koppa, one of the me!p ver taught the class and who works ot Texas Transportation Institutc|F hat ”j ' provided some informational siiM°^[ e( and some thoughts to remember:^gj s i aturi •About 50,000 persons die anmii® ^ en traffic accidents in the United St: myon, is W! legis f the tv ost impc iving cri e Senate pass •Many traffic accidents are pt able. A preventable accident is : which the driver failed to do ever he reasonably could to prevent it Think about these suggestions ther may aren’t just from me, they’re froraiote tional Safety Council. |Tortun Enjoy the summer, Ags. But,I* 16 111081 1 let’s be careful out there. pr e , nate iest chanc Iready h; ad curre thich ma International ^ gsigned r ■ ■ 'I 'resent d films praised, | s fender’s DWI lilitativ enders. offer creativityj >ffen Editor: ■ to a Emission jes for fi At the other end of Highway dfenders In the midst of the Tamyoo Che drunk Desert, one small oasis standsout lp Sunday night international ftlnu After days and days of assembly! lege diplomas and box office form: tergents such as “The Longest! “Earthquake” and “Alien,” the St night international films are a rare: of imaginative, individualistic and tive creativity that Texas Agrici and Materialistic University is s! short on. The international films* collection of cinematic achievement served as a reminder that Highway only runs both ways, but that there be more at the ends of that highway there is at its middle. Ags and teasips not so different 1 hope that the program continnf grows. I found the foreign film highly indicative of cultural attitudf social priorities. The screenings,fe most part, were not very well attet (Predictably?) I guess the biggestp the student body was busy wai groups of gorillas growling ov: ostrich egg while 70,000 industrial igines consumed industrial solutioi discarded the remains on the b round. Somewhere in there, there be a comment on personal and priorities. I hope the future sees a larger) ram of foreign films and a larger!® tional cultural exposure on Tan 1 cultural sand dunes. Just keep the hammer down Clicll Graduate stt Chem program good example of caring attitut Editor: This letter is addressed to Preij Vandiver. I chose to attend A&M because is a feeling of care that is unique D University. There is caring betweef dents and caring between student) professors. This feeling is best ex^ fied by the first year chemistry pn 1 headed by Dr. Rod O’Connor. This is a great University andtlif tralized first year chemistry prof helps to make it so. To change thisfl ram in any way would be detriment the academic prowess of A&M. This program provides a measnt care for the undergraduate st« With this asset, Texas A&M is set from other universities. 1 urge f retain this program and build A* academic identity with a combinatifj good undergraduate, graduate at search programs. A great universit' have all three of these. I would gladly test against aca standards to prove the validity < program. (
