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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
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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.
(