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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 1984)
Toxicologist testifies H Ags to meet Horns: H Rockets and Spurs in Jones' trial E*; Both teams previewed 1 victorious See page 4 — See page 15 See page 16 Texas A&M V| A The Battalion iqI ), Serving the University community of U,S.( me as ikBVol 78 No. 82 CJSPS 0453110 18 pages ling from™ ifficials. formed li k that tliti| am tainitil vers tnavi a college States afii aid ■ trying lo| n plaiena er, (Pal)™ k and whom si College Station, Texas Wednesday^an Uary 25, 1984 pecial lections scheduled From staff and wire reports a stmmera and. sudi! e the Oln mderWi ; we think) lurived." offidakl vere leai if the Can laltenderl orwards! an Wood I AUSTIN — Gov. Mark White Tuesday set special elections for March 10 and April 7 to fill vacancies n the Texas House created by the jesignations of two members. I White said a special election will be leld in March to fill the seat being lacaied by Rep. Bill Presnal, D-Bryan, lid in April for the seat given up by Rep. Lanny Hall, D-Fort Worth. I The qualifying deadline will be Fch. 8 for Presnal’s seat and March 7 for Hall’s seat. I The election to fill Presnal’s seat in the 28th Congreessional District, opertyowhich includes Bryan-Gollege Sta- ues, hasiffion, is scheduled during Texas L game.ijvA&M's spring break. Since local inninetmldiools also have a break at this time, »rk Ranett»tne feel faculty and parents will he played Ant of town at this time as well. \ Leagui* Former Bryan mayor Richard Smith, a Republican candidate for Sresnal’s seal, told The Battalion iOlym^S uesda Y n *Kht that he thought the st veari#^ ale was not sel * n such a way to un lotw encourage voter participation.” > moredaS S oa * s when setting an election xi)erieii((B ale should be to encourage voter i)!)roveiltiP art ' t ‘P a, ’ on ’ he said. ‘‘Why would IliKke'i'f® 116 schedule an eleciton at this time Shen many people are out of town?” ifie asked. “It’s a slap in the face to the people at Texas A&M.” | V g Smith said he couldn’t understand Bhy the governor didn’t schedule the A Bpecitil election at the earlist possible ^ 'Time. If the governor thought the * election was important enough to Ichedule early, why didn’t he make it s early as possible instead of waiting until March 10, Smith asked. April 7 is the date of municipal g out offelections and March 3 is the earliest ) takeanRhe special election could have been it just foifscheduled, its in thcp he lockenf^ 1 Regents grant tenure to 107 faculty members By BRIGID BROCKMAN Senior stall writer The Texas A&M Board of Regents approved all of the committees’ re commendations Tuesday, and heard status reports from the presidents of Texas A&M, Tarleton State and Prairie View A&M. There was no further discussion regarding the parking and traffic flow study, the special events center or the relocation of the railroad. The board approved the request by the Executive Committee to grant tenure to 107 faculty members, 88 of whom are from the main campus. The board also approved the guidelines for the 1984-85 operating budgets. The Objectives, Rules, Regulations for The Texas A&M University Sys tem was amended to give the board the right to make exceptions to the retirement policy. Dr. Barry B. Thompson, president of Tarleton Slate University, re ported to the board that the university is pleased with its growth rate, and the enrollment at Tarleton now has grown to 4,146. Thompson said he is confident the the university will be able to raise $28 million by the year 2000, and that the students, faculty and friends all have shown an interest in helping. It takes more than just state funds to become a good school, he said, and Tarleton is working to develop into a first class institution. Dr. Frank E. Vandiver, president of Texas A&M, gave the board a quick update on the Universtiy. He pointed out the recent damage the University suffered because of the unusually cold weather in December. The damage totals over $70,000, and Vandiver said he fears the cost will be even more extensive. Vandiver took time to praise the many physical plant workers who worked overtime during the freezing weather. Dr. Percy A. Pierre, president of Prarie View A&M University, gave the board an update on its academic plans. Pierre said they are eliminating programs that compete with com munity colleges, consolidating those that are closely related and creating new programs to attract more and better prepared students. The university has cut down the number of programs offered from 133 to 100, he said, and reduced the number of academic budgets from 72 to 47. All bonds pass in B-CS Photo by BILL HUGHES Practice, practice, practice Texas A&M diving team member Susan Burkart practices for a diving meet to be held this Friday at 3 p.m. against Texas Tech. Burkart is a so ph omore bioengineering major from Annandale, Virginia. By MICHELLE POWE Senior staff writer Bryan and College Station voters turned out in better-than-expected numbers Tuesday for their cities’ bond elections and passed all of the bond issues proposed. In Bryan, 17 percent of the reg istered voters turned out to pass all live of the bond propositions. Bryan’s City Manager Ernest R. Clark said the 3,767 ballots cast were “much more than I think we expected.” He said the bond proposals were passed with the greatest margin than in any previous bond election. College Station Mayor Cary M. Halter said 12 percent of College Sta tion’s registered voters turned out for the election. All seven propositions were passed. Halter said the voter turnout fi gure for College Station actually would have been 16 percent if voting precincts 20 and 35 were excluded from the count. He said the turnout of registered voters in those two dis tricts — comprised largely of Texas A&M students close to campus — was the lowest in College Station. And, he said, the turnout in those two precincts is typically the lowest. Now that the bond issues have been approved the city councils for both cities will begin selling the bonds to raise money for the proposed im provements. The College Station bond issues include: improving the streets, build ing a new police station, adding onto the main fire station, building a new fire station and renovating Lincoln Center. Bryan’s bond issues include: improving the streets, improving parks and recreational facilities and improving city offices and the police department facilities. Clark said he hopes that all of the improvements for Bryan will be com pleted within the proposed five years. Halter said College Station’s Capit al Improvement Program is a three- year plan and he hopes the improve ments will be completed within that time frame. He said the proposed new police station and the additions to the main fire station should be first on College Station’s list of priorities. And the street improvements should come next, he said. of the sej annedjiM International fees questioned SG to discuss funding Reagan claims 'a miracle' vere even to of theiii lalfandli o a: ve sn go /, as ns. Ttif ; grouf ere to wfc id i satflf er, p gar# i oryoi rnativc By ROBIN BLACK Staff writer As a result of a report filed by the .egislative Study Croup, the finance ommittee will recommend to the Stu- ent Government Senate tonight that unding of international student ser- dces be redefined. The report by the ESC found that ibout half of the student service funds alotted to the International Stu dent Services Office — $118,000 last year — is being used to cover the idminstrative costs necessary to meet U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service regulations. The LSG supports the idea that the uffice does provide student services, ind that these services are necessary and should be funded by student ser vice fees. Mike Cook, vice president of fi nance, said the finance committee 6070 doesn’t think that student service fees should pay for the office’s administra tive costs. “Since the service is vital to the students, we are recommending that it only be funded one-half by the stu dent fund,” he said. The international student office requested $117,000 in funds for this year, but the finance committee is re commending that only $58,000 of that amount come from the student service fund. Aside from student advisory costs, the service is also responsible for the cost of maintaining student records and documentation for the immigra tion office and the membership fees for association with such organiza tions as the National Association of Foreign Student Administrators. The international student service also pays these fees for the admissions office, the English Language Institute and the study-abroad office. The ESC pointed out that the ser vice is eligible for state funding, as recommended by the state Coordinat ing Board of Texas colleges and uni versity system. Other items on the Senate’s agenda include recommendations of revi sions to University rules and regula tions (blue book). The finance committee will also recommend that faculty and staff pay a semesterly fee for use of intramural facilities proportionate to the amount taken from student service fees for the same use. “We’re going to recommend that they pay what the students pay every semester for intramurals,” Cook said. “Right now faculty and staff just pay $2 a year for use of intramural facili ties, and the students are payint about $9 per semester.” United Press International WASHINGTON — President Reagan, poised for a re-election cam paign, said Tuesday his first three years in office have produced “an American miracle” that places the na tion in a position of strength and security. Reagan sounded the emerging theme of his expected bid for a second term during a Capitol Hill luncheon with Republicans who gained control of the Senate in the same 1980 elec toral sweep that landed him in the White House. He is expected to announce his intention to seek re-election Sunday night in a live television broadcast from the Oval Office. “Thirty-six months — that’s just a short span in the life of a nation,” Reagan, who marked his third anniversary in office last Friday, told the COP senators. “But I deeply be lieve that, together, we’ve changed American history.” The trip to Capitol Hill was the first of two Reagan will make this week. The luncheon, a weekly event for Republican senators, came just one day before he is to deliver his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. The mood was light. Reagan joked that Senate COP leader Howard Bak er and Sen. John Tower, R-Texas, had called to remind him of the $5 charge for lunch and later pulled out the required cash. Giving the lawmakers a preview of the optimistic outlook he will take Wednesday night, Reagan rattled off a list of accomplishments upon which he is expected to base his re-election effort. “In the past 36 months, the world has seen an American miracle,” he said. “Time has marched on, but in stead of growing older and more tired our country has recaptured the vital ity, self-confidence and courage of the youthful nation that she still is.” Reagan said inflation has been slashed to the lowest level in more than a decade, the prime interest rate “is barely half of what it was when we took office.” He also said his arms buildup and projection of military force have en ded a period in which “America had become known the world over for hesitation, vacillation and self-doubt.” “In foreign policy,” he said, “the world knows once more what Amer ica stands for: the freedom of man kind. From Central America to Africa to the Middle East, we’re working to support democracy and produce peace.” Despite the chilly course of U.S.- Soviet relations, Reagan said, “by strengthening our defenses and showing the world our willingness to negotiate, we’ve laid the foundations for a lasting world peace.” 11,000 fans attend Raider homecoming United Press International LOS ANGELES — More than 1,000 black-and-silver-clad fans cheered the Los Angeles Raiders at a frenzied downtown rally Tuesday, and most of the Super Bowl cham pions responded in their untradition- al style — they didn’t show up. Only 21 of the team’s 55 players ioined Mayor Tom Bradley, coach Tom Flores and the silver Super Bowl trophy on the steps of City Hall. Eight of the no-shows — including Lester Hayes, Ted Hendricks and Todd Christensen — had a good ex cuse. They were selected to play in Sunday’s Pro Bowl and flew directly from Tampa, the site of the Super Bowl, to Honolulu. Among the 26 other players mis sing and listed as having “other com mitments” were quarterback Jim Plunkett and wide receiver Cliff Branch, who played key roles in the Raiders’ 38-9 victory over the Washington Redskins. Also not appearing was team own er A1 Davis, the man most responsible for the fact that Tuesday’s celebration took place in Los Angeles and not in Oakland. The fans, despite occasional boos when they realized many of their heroes weren’t there, were soothed by the appearances of two of the biggest stars, running back Marcus Allen and defensive end Lyle Alzado. The Raiders’ cheerleaders, wear ing their scanty uniforms, brought loud cheers from much of the crowd as dozens of police officers successful ly kept the surging masses behind bar ricades of water-filled steel drums. The crowd, which police called the biggest ever for a City Hall ceremony, eventually swelled off the grassy park onto the streets, halting traffic. Druze leader asks Gemayal to quit In Today’s Battalion United Press International BEIRUT — Druze Moslem leader Walid Jumblatt stepped up his war of words on the Lebanese government Tuesday, demanding President Amin Gemayel resign and inaugurating a radio station to rally his followers in revolt. Druze militias based in the moun tains east of Beirut foug artillery duels with the Lebanese army. There were no reports of casualties. Jumblalt’s statement appeared to doom the fledgling “national recon ciliation” process, which had man aged to get the leaders of Lebanon’s warring factions to sit down at a bar gaining table last November in Geneva. “We will not take part in any gov ernment or format with President Gemayel,” Jumblatt said on official Syrian ratlio from Damascus. “There fore, I repeat my earlier request to Amin Gemayel to resign.” Jumblatt’s demand marked yet another reversal, since he first issued the call during the weekend and then denied it. But his chief aide, Marwan Hamade, said by telephone from Damascus the Druze leader “is not re tracting what he said.” Backed by Syria, the Druze and more mainstream Sunni and Shiite Moslem sects, who now constitute a majority in Lebanon, are fighting for a greater share of power in the gov ernment dominated by the minority Christians under Gemayel. Underscoring Jumblatt’s tough posture, a new Druze radio station went on the air Tuesday afternoon to counter the government-run Beirut radio and the stations of the Christian Phalange Party and Christian Pha lange militia. Local • A touch of the Old West in the Brazos Valley? See story page 3. • A&M research engineer says coal-fueled engines could be successful. See story page 3. State • Princess Anne toured the Houston Medical Center Tuesday. See story page 4. • The Houston Cougars have reinstatedrward-guard Benny Anders. See story page 16. • Gov. Mark White’s new jet has it all — even a $4500 toilet. See story page 5. • Kilgore slayings may have been drug-related. See story page 10.