Tuesday, October 9, 1984
more opinion
LETTERS:
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selling rat
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A&M to lose fine
chemistry instructor
EDITOR:
I would like all students to know we are going to
lose a good instructor in Dr. O’Connor, if the or-
iersakoi ganic chemistry faculty does not stop pressuring
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Hazing, harassment
synonymous terms
EDITOR:
An October 4 article in the Houston Chronicle
bv Roy Bragg quotes Chuck Rollins, head of the
orps, as having said at a Wednesday rally,
iThere’s a certain amount of harassment that
eeds to go on because of the way we are struc
tured and what we are set up to do.”
Harassment is defined by Webster’s as “trouble,
[vorry or torment” f rom repeated attacks or raids.
That sounds very similar to hazing which is “to
initiate or discipline fellow students by forcing
them to do ridiculous, humiliating or painful
hings."
Thus, Rollins seems to advocate harassment as
n inherent quality of the Corps. Not only is hazing
violation of Texas A&M University regulations,
ut can we seriously expect any positive change in
he Corps when the leader views hazing as nec-
sary?
Rollins said that physical punishment is effec
tive. “As soon as you do it, you feel like you’re
■cleansed of your sins,” Rollins said.
I wonder how I survived all these years without
cleansing myself by physical punishment? Ridicu
lous, humiliating and painful things do not seem
pery cleansing; rather that statement reflects the
ridiculous excuses used for the defense of an ille
gal practice.
“There are still going to be violations,” he said.
There are always going to be violations.”
With this type of leadership, I am not surprised.
Michael Crawford, Senior Journalism
Thomas Hanus, Senior Business
him to conform to their methods of teaching. The
faculty think that O’Connor is doing a disservice to
the students because he does not teach in the same
manner as all the other organic professors. I know
inendresiiMO’Connor is a caring and good teacher for I have
had him before. He would stick his neck out for
any student and has on numerous occasions. I feel
it is an honor to he in his class and the University
and all students would be at a great loss if he re
signed.
Why does the faculty think their method is the
best? I took Chemistry 227 last year and made a C.
Most students would have just taken the C.
However, I did not feel I had learned anything.
1 simply memorized what was necessary. I took the
class again this semester, hoping I would learn the
material rather than memorize. Now that I have a
professor that can teach the material because of his
own method of teaching, he is being pressured to
change. The students like his way of teaching and
are asking their professors to teach as such. I do
not expect the other professors to change to
O’Connor’s way of teaching but 1 think all instruc
tors should be able to teach the way they feel is best
without being harassed.
If O’Connor leaves what am I supposed to do?
They will replace him with a professor that teaches
the same as all the others, so 1 am back where I
started.
Dr. O’Connor does not have to teach for a liv
ing. He does it because he loves A&M and the stu
dents. I would not blame him for leaving because
of the crap he has to put up with due to the faculty.
1 hope the faculty will open their minds to a new
way of thinking. If all people were close-minded in
thinking there is only one way of doing things,
A&M would not be the great University it is.
Tim Votion
Class of ’86
Gramm appalling
in many ways
EDITOR:
As a Bostonian, I found Phil Gramm’s most re
cent comment on toxic waste appalling. Mr.
Gramm, however, has supported enough perverse
legislation to potentially inspire disgust in every
one.
As students, we should be concerned that Phil
Gramm proposed an $854 billion cut in educatio
nal benefits which include cuts in Pell Grants and
Student Loans for higher education.
As Texans, there should be concern that while
large parts of Texas were devasted by droughts
this year, Gramm fought against drought relief.
As citizens concerned about a secure future we
should note that the Social Security we may come
to depend on will be no help to us if Gramm has
his way ( Gramm is callous enough to have stated
that it’s “hard for him to feel sorry” for the elderly
whose Social Security would be denied because
they were already bestowed with the “luxury of liv
ing to be 80 years old).
As people who want our civil rights protected it
is disturbing that Phil Gramm voted against emer
gency aid to investigate the murders of black chil
dren in Atlanta.
This is a very brief overview of the insensitivities
of Phil Gramm to Texans, students, farmers, mi
nority groups, the elderly, and just about everyone
who isn’t Phil Gramm.
n,wm
Catherine A. Girard
Class of’85
Coed dorms do exist
in Texas A&M System
EDITOR:
In regards to the previous letter by Hennon Gil
bert, I would like to clear up a misconception that
seems to be widespread. The misconception is that
there are no coed dorms at A&M and there will
never be. This is w^rong! I went to school at Texas
A&M at Galveston and they have 3 (count ’em)
COED DORMS and COED floors. Shocking isn’t
it. There has been no problems whatsoever with
this system. There is even a CORPS COED dorm!
Oh yes, TAMUG is really a part of A&M, even
though everyone tries to pretend that we don’t ex
ist.
Bonna Smith
Class of ’84
Males only band
maintains unity
EDITOR:
I am writing in response to the argument of let
ting females join the Aggie Band. Before coming
to A&M for the first time this fall, I participated in
high school and junior high school band programs
for seven years. During my senior year, I was a
drum major. I can easily say that my experiences
in band have been some of the happiest and most
rewarding times of my life, and I really miss not
being a part of that now.
Watching the Aggie Band perform puts chills
up and down my spine. There is one thing that the
band has that every band strives for but only occa
sionally reaches, and that is unity. That unity is
representative of the unity of A&M, the bond that
all Aggies share. The reason that so few bands
have this special characteristic is that their mem
bers are not as closely knit as those of the Aggie
Band. I really feel that letting females join the
band would be a threat to its unity. The
relationship of brothers is a special kind of close
ness - and this is what the band is built on.
1 do not think the band could pass any challenge
onto a female with band experience that she could
not handle, but the question is not who is the most
capable or the stronger sex. It is a matter of contin
uing the type of system most beneficial to the
band’s existence. I believe in equality of the sexes,
but some things must be examined closely before
they are mistakenly accused of discrimination.
Coming from the viewpoint of a musician and a
girl, I feel the band should remain all-male.
Molly Sweatman
Physical discipline
essential to military
EDITOR:
It seems to me that, although A&M has a large
military institution, most non-regs are ignorant to
the facets of military life. I am in the military and
was in the Corps during my fish year. And being
myself a non-reg, I would like to share with you
the reasons for physical discipline.
In a football team, the only way to win games it
to remain in top physical shape as well as having
superior knowledge of the sport. So it is, too, with
the military. It must maintain high standards of
physical endurance and mental ability to remain
prepared for the ever present threat of war. And
to maintain superiority over the enemy takes disci
pline.
Discipline can’t be learned, it has to be instilled.
Instilled through hard work and motivation. But
one cannot always stay at the level of motivation it
takes to maintain discipline.
Thus, reinforcing factors are applied from out
side sources. In the Corps of Cadets this used to be
through physical exercise. In the actual military
while in recruit training or Officers Candidate
School, this is how it is done all the time. The rea
son is two-fold: to maintain top physical endur
ance and to provide the extra motivation that is
necessary to instill discipline. It is not meant to be
malicious or harmful although it is hard work
physically as well as mentally.
Discipline is what it takes to maintain the tough
est military in the world today and physical disci
pline is the key factor in maintaining high stan
dards. The military is not a game, neither is war.
We must not allow the high standards to slip be
cause of ignorance. Our freedom was hard won,
would you want to lose it?
Steve Dareing
Class of’87
Volleyball team needs
support for UT game
EDITOR:
We need your help! Wednesday night at 7:30
p.m. in G. Rollie White that small junior college
from Austin will challenge the Texas A&M Wom
en’s Volleyball Team.
The Ags and the Horns are both undefeated in
conference play. We sport a record of 18 wins and
2 losses. The sips are currently 11 and 2 and are
ranked 8th in the nation. The winner of the
Wednesday night match will have taken a signifi
cant step towards the Southwest Conference
Championship.
Last year over 2,500 people attended the game.
This was the largest crowd to ever attend a wom
en’s sporting event at TAMU. G. Rollie White can
hold 7,900 people and we want to fill it to capacity
this year. We can only do this with your effort and
support. Please help us, Ags.
See you Wednesday at 7:30.
Gig ’em.
Chemine Doty
Sheryl L. Brinkman
Co-Captains Women’s Volleyball Team
sv Schick- __
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All things
in moderation
...especially
alcohol:
That’s good advice.
We’re learning that moderation is the key to a safe and healthy life. We are each becoming
more concerned with nutrition, exercise and overall physical fitness. That’s why we’re watching
our salt intake, for example.
We know that there are certain safety lines and we don’t cross them. Because excess means
abuse and abuse means problems.
The majority of people who drink alcohol do so responsibly because they do so in moderation.
They know howto enjoy alcohol beverages and gain the social, personal and health benefits
that come with responsible drinking.
They know the responsibility they take on when they drink alcohol beverages or serve these
beverages to others...a responsibility for safety, health and proper conduct.
And they know the best way to practice that responsibility is through moderation.
By knowing their limits, and sticking to them.
By neither accepting, nor offering “one-for-the-road.”
By neither condoning nor contributing to irresponsible behavior.
And by exhibiting at all times, a responsible attitude about alcohol.
They know the special responsibility that comes with the decision to drink alcohol...moderation.
That’s the only way to drink...responsibly.
“A Proud Participant of
National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Wteek”
October 8-14,1984
Battalion Classified 845-2611