Page 2/The Battalion/Tuesday, September 11,1984
Opinion
Group starting
Sully bull-sessions
Making student leaders accessible to students is a good
idea.
Lambda Sigma, a sophomore honor society and service
organization, is creating a shoot-from-the-hip bull-session
between student leaders and the students they represent.
But why were football players chosen for the first session
rather than the student body president or student senators?
The leaders of Lambda Sigma are worried that the stu
dent body won’t be interested in listening to elected leaders
speak, so they reverted to the tactics used in commercials —
using celebrities, in this case the football players to give the
sales pitch.
Lambda Sigma president Cindy Gay told The Battalion
Editorial Board Monday that the athletes were chosen for
the first symposium to make students aware of the project.
“We were concerned that for the good of the project we
needed to generate interest right away,” Gay said. The talks
begin Wednesday in front of the Academic Building. She
said the symposium will show the side of student leaders rar
ely seen in meetings or on the football field.
The informal atmosphere of the talks should provide
students a good means of communicating with student lead
ers, both those elected and those thrust into leadership by
their talents.
This week’s Sully Symposium will give students a chance
to see football players as students not jocks. It’s a fair start
for a good program; it’s too bad that Lambda Sigma didn’t
have enough confidence in Aggies to start the program with
student leaders that represent the students. It’s worse that
without such a celebrity kick-off, the program would be des
tined to die.
— The Battalion Editorial Board
The Battalion
C1SPS 045 360
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
In memoriam
Bill Robinson, 1962-1984, Editor
The Battalion Editorial Board
Stephanie Ross, Acting Editor
‘ ’ Patrice Koranek, Managing Editor
Shelley Hoekstra, City Editor
Brigid Brockman, News Editor
Donn Iriedman ; Editorial Page Editor
Kelley Smith, News Editor
Ed Cassavoy, Sports Editor
Editorial Policy
The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting
newspaper operated as a community service
to Texas A&M and Bryan-CoUcgc Station.
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are
those of the Editorial Board or the author,
and do not necessarily represent the opinions
of Texas A&M administrators, faculty or the
Board of Regents.
The Battalion also serves as a laboratory
newspa/ter for students in reporting, editing
and photography classes within the Depart
ment of Communications.
Letters Policy
Letters to the Editor should not exceed .100
words in length. The editorial staff reserves
the right to edit letters for style and length hut
will make every effort to maintain the au
thor's intent. Each letter must he signed and
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ber of the writer.
The Battalion is published Monday
through Eriday during Texas A&M regular
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Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843.
Special people needed
to help disabled students
“Attendants
for hand- c tW
icapped stu- Catnie
dents wanted, Anderson
inquire within”,
said the sign
taped to the
door of the Office of Handicapped and
Veterans Services.
I asked the woman at the desk if I
could talk to someone about the sign.
She stepped inside a room, whispered a
few words and soon I was talking to Dr.
Charles Powell, Coordinator of Hand
icap and Veterans Services.
“I take it that you’re here to interview
for a job as an attendant,” he said.
“No,” I answered, a little uncomfor
tably, “I’m a reporter for the Battalion,
and I’d like to ask you a few questions
about the position for an article I’m
doing.”
I thought he might be angry since I’d
stopped his work under what might
have been considered false pretenses.
He simply smiled; however and said,
“All right.” That reply was far from the
rough “Come back later” that I’d ex
pected.
Attendants are “very special people,”
Powell said “but they’re kind of special
to start with since they’ve come here (to
Texas A&M).”
Three attendants, two male and one
female, are still needed to live with
handicapped students on campus, said
Kim Gray, a student worker in the
handicapped services office.
“It’s not a bad job in terms of time
and flexibility with . . .schedule,” Powell
said, “The student (attendant) makes
$400 per month for nine months, so
they’re even paid for the time that
they’re not here.”
Sheila Kriedwalt, 21, recently began
her first semester as an attendant. She
averages two to three hours a day help
ing Liz Jackson. Nine years ago, Jackson
was paralyzed from the waist down after
being thrown from a horse.
“You have responsibilities at certain
times,” said Kriedwalt, “and you have to
do them at that time.” Among other
things she helps Jackson get ready for
classes each morning pnd for bed each
night.
The attendants learn valuable lessons
while they earn money.
At one time I might have felt sorry
for Jackson, Kriedwalt said, but not any
more.
“She’s made a big difference in the
way I feel about people, and the way I
think. She’s made dealing with hand
icapped people easier for me. I can’t
feel sorry for her because she’s carried
on,” Kriedwalt said.
Jackson needed an assistant; Kried
walt needed a job. When they came to
gether and became acquainted, they not
only fulfilled their needs but also found
a friend.
Cathie Anderson is a junior journa
lism major.
By
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LETTERS
Aggie spirit shouldn't
end with football
EDITOR:
I read with interest Mr. Slinkard’s letter in
the Sept. 7 edition attacking Mr. Cassavoy as
a “truly bad Ag.” Most of his letter did not
make a whole lot of sense, but one part I
found to be very interesting. He attacks Mr.
Cassavoy for the statement “Apathy seems to
be a way of life here at A&M,” and mentions
Bonfire and yell practices as proof that this
apathy does not exist.
Notice that he did NOT mention the fact
that only about 200 fans showed up earlier
in the week to watch the women’s volleyball
team destroy Sam Houston State. G. Rollie
holds at least 7,000 people, Aggies. He also
did not mention that an average of only
about 3,000 fans showed up for the Aggies’
home basketball games last spring, or that at-
tendence at women’s basketball games was
practically nonexistent. Or, that for the first
round game of a SWC tourney held here in
Aggieland against t.u. (our biggest rivals!?),
only 1500 people showed. He also did not
mention that the baseball team, nationally
ranked for most, if not all, of last season had
consistently poor attendance, except for per
haps Parent’s Day weekend.
The sad fact, Aggies, is that if it doesn’t
have to do with football, that famous Aggie
Spirit isn’t much in evidence. While it may
not completely die in the spring, it certainly
fades quite a bit. These non-football athletes
dress in maroon-and-white uniforms, sing
the Aggie songs, and work just as hard to
represent A&M well in competition as the
football team does. But does the 12th man
come to baseball, basketball, volleyball, or
softball games? For the most part, no. Just
what does this say about our beloved Aggie
Spirit? The simple fact is that, although I
doubt it is ci way of life here at A&M, apathy
is very much alive and well here in Aggie
land. If you doubt me, go to the next wom
en’s volleyball game. You’ll see me there,
and we can root for the Aggies together —
along with one or two others.
Glenn Hawkins
has been how the goal-post won the game
for A&M. Well, Ags, what about the players?
Was it the goal-post who kept UTEP from
scoring touchdowns? NO, it was A&M’s de
fense. And was it the goal-post who passed
and rushed for A&M touchdowns? NO, that
was A&M’s offensive squads who can take
credit for that.
Granted, the game may not have been the
most exciting game ever played in Kyle
Field, but come on Ags, what team can make
it to the Cotton Bowl with only fairweather
fans.
It seems as if the only time you can hear
any good talk about our football team
around campus is when they’ve won, and
won with an impressive style. It’s about time
that more stand behind our team — through
both the good and the not-so-good games. I
think that we have a team that everyone at
A&M can be proud of, and it’s cibout time
that we show our team that we really do
stand behind them.
Alicia Tangas, Class of ’85
Celeste Tangas, Class of ’85
First Silver Taps
a memorable
experience
Football players
not uprights beat
UTEP
EDITOR:
Tonight, Silver Taps was held. Since I am
a freshman, this was my first.
I’ve heard a lot about Silver Taps from
friends, but you have to experience it for
yourself before you citn really know what
they were talking about. Words just cannot
express the experience.
When the bugler started playing “Silver
Taps” the third time is when it really hit me.
It felt like I had lost someone in my own
family. And in a way, I did.
We at Texas A&M are like a big family.
Though each of us comes from an entirely
different background, we all share that one
thing than binds us together — we are all
Aggies.
I feel honored to be a part of this univer
sity, knowing that every time I say “Howdy,”
I’m speaking to a member of my family.
I love you all.
William G. Buvens, III
Squadron 10
mine who gets to park where on ihfj
campus. 1 am the possessor of a blues
and I wish to express a grievance:
parking around Zachry, notably loulll
and 51.
It seems to me that staff lot 51 bn
large for the number of staff membei’l
park there. The lot itself contains abof
rows of parking; the staff use upor.j
first six rows of the lot, or up to thenul
From simple mathematics, one can®
mine that there are four rows of pari
over. Fm sure that students searchif.|
parking spaces feel rather ridiculousfl
gered when they view this concretea
with no faculty cars parked in itandn
theless are forced to park in the fishld
a blue sticker. Some students obvious
nore the parking regulations andparli
51. I admit that I have been gumydl
travesty, but the logic of using empty*!
appeals to me. I can appreciate the* 1
need for parking privileges but I thin!
the students should also he considered
I realized the seriousness of the sitS
on Sept. 5 when I saw the campus |
handing out parking tickets to all stm
parked past the median, although not'j
gle faculty car was parked in this parte'
lot. I think these students feel chef
their logic tells them no staff mem^l
being deprived of parking priveleges.
A final test of the validity of my argu
could be performed by comparing thef|
her of parking stickers issued for lot
the number of spaces available. I ami
that the students would appreciate tlj
of the spaces, especially after the inci
the price of parking stickers.
Curt Cokings
Class of ’85
Editorial Board
rips past rhetoric
EDITOR:
For the last week in The Battalion, all I’ve
seen about the A&M-UTEP football game
A&M parking
defies logic
EDITOR:
It gives me great pleasure to cotim*
the Battalion Editorial Board for its f '
lent editorial entitled, “Porkbanell
Gramm’s hogs in wrong pen.” In thescj
of superficial patriotism, uncritical nost
for the good old days, and simplistic vi(|
the tax-cut economy, your analysis is J
freshing breath of intellectualism.
you can continue to give your readers 11
excellent analytical guidance through!
jungle of self-serving rhetoric which aU'!
step hides dangerous facts of our pd 11
and economic life.
1
EDITOR:
I am curious about the logic used to deter-
Phanindramohan Das
Meteorology Professor