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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1985)
Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday, February 13, 1985 ION College curriculums dangerously weak Texas A&M Faculty Senate’s academic affairs committee is on the right track. A subcommittee of the academic affairs committee is recom mending a required core curriculum for all A&M students, re gardless of major. The recommended curriculum would require each student take — in addition to already required history, po litical science and physical education courses — six hours of speech and writing skills, mathematical/logical reasoning, cultu ral heritage and social science and eight hours of science. The committee also recommends each student take one course in computer science and two semesters of a foreign language. The subcommittee’s report on core curriculum, discussed during Monday’s Faculty Senate meeting, is on par with a report released Sunday by the Association of American Colleges. The association’s report, prepared by a panel of 18 educa tors after a three-year study, expressed great concern with the quality of higher education in the United States. The report said American college and university curriculums have slipped into a state of “disarray” and “incoherence.” The report blames weak curriculum requirements, lack of emphasis on good teaching and faculty members who are more interested in research than in teaching. To better prepare college graduates as professionals and ‘ individual humans” the report suggests a “minumum required curriculum” — similar to the one proposed here — designed to cover the “intellectual, aesthetic and philosophic experiences” necessary to an educated person. The idea that one of the most powerful nations in the world could be turning nearly illiterate incompetents loose upon the business world, vying for positions of power and leadership, is frightening and inexcuseable. American colleges and universities have gone soft, and all of us associated with these schools — students and faculty alike — are getting pretty thick around the middle ourselves. As the association’s report said, we live in a rapidly changing world and to keep pace it is essential that tomorrow’s leaders have broad, well-rounded educations. We need people who can understand our advancing tech nology. We need to be able to communicate with other nations — we can’t always expect everyone else to speak English. Other wise the rest of the world will pass us by. No country can con tinue to be a world power without educated, cultured people in charge. A healthy education system is as vital to national security as is a strong defense — and educated defenders are essential to en suring that defense and security. If Texas A&M does indeed have visions of becoming a world class university and turning out future leaders, it must offer its students a more well-rounded, versatile education. And the core curriculum proposed is certainly a step in the right direction. The Battalion Editorial Board Sexual stereotypes deny opportunities A national survey released Saturday says boys still do better in science courses than girls. T he Second International Science Study — based on the study in 1983-84 of science pupils in the fifth, ninth and 12th grades — warns that unless more women enter the field of sci ence, the United States will fall short of its goal to provide the finest level of mathematics, science and technology education in the world by 1995. Our society continues to be plagued by sexual stereotypes. We are bombarded by television commercials showing women cooking dinner and cleaning house, “mom-approving” cereal and toothpaste and being offended when they are told they could get tneir family’s laundry cleaner. From birth, girls are dressed in pink and given dolls; boys are dressed in blue and given toy fire trucks. Even school books still have pictures depicting males and fe males fulfilling stereotypical roles. Girls are encouraged to write poetry, boys to dissect frogs. Why should it matter if girls are not encouraged to follow different paths as long as they are free to make their own deci sions? It matters because there is a real distinction between ‘not en couraging’ people and discouraging them. Texas A&M supposedly has never discouraged women from joining the all-male fighting Texas Aggie Band; women just were never encouraged. Same thing. The fact is women at A&M — through social pressure and, now, court cases — have been strongly discouraged from join- ing. Our society is gradually drifting away from that sort of men tality (certainly, few places discriminate to that degree so openly), but stereotyping and discrimination still do exist. Given equal encouragement and equal opportunity to de velop interest, not all women will choose to go into the Field of science — not all men do — but as long as we continue to ex clude more than half the population from certain areas of inter est we deny ourselves the opportunity to be the best we can pos sibly be. The Battalion Editorial Board 1|S . i. . ■ - i Tt / / l I \ r ''\ 4/ / \ ( T w- NEVv// iAg GIB SUICIDE FILLS The state u not aff structic jus, sa Y iirecto const™ The versity’ out of (PUF) i sold pr tion 2,' “Th( that, e halted, availab cause i |use to |j(PUF) < chase c ties anc f'acilitk JState, 1 cultur throug All i I structk | to be c( • b Buildir be fini begun layed c cial dil Inor ii Finding the perfect match not easy feat waterp placed and thi ‘Mate game’ like checkers Whi buildir I says, been i ■ taken 1 The Three of my best friends are getting married. One in March and two in June. Usually when the word marriage comes up (espe cially if my name is involved) I make choking noises. But not this time. making the winning move when I’m about 35. Maybe 1 didn’t realize how much I do like checkers. Kevin Inda All three guys have found their perfect mate — a feat often attempted, seldom accomplished. Finding the right mate can be long and adventurous or short and painful. Probably both. It’s nothing but a colossal game in which people are the playing pieces. For most men, the object of the game is similar to checkers — to jump as many of the opponents as possible be fore finally gaining the win (a wife). 1 never did like checkers. But, there is a little more to the game than that. Most guys think of the ideal girl as tall, blond, blue eyes, etc. (You know, the kind you always see on the beach and never see at A&: M .) Oops, 1 shouldn’t have said that. I apologize. Girls loaded with that kind of optional equipment do exist at A&M, but are usually one-owner models. Maybe 1 shouldn’t have said that either. Physical characteristics aren’t everything — al most — but not everything. There are other prerequisites as well as warning signs in selecting the right mate. chief you’re looking outside the Quad), and proper girls are boring. Girlsw sense of adventure, spunk, ands| neity are in a class by themselves, girls with these characteristics You know, the ones that look like donna. Chicks are crazy. Anything with these girls — well, almost any These unique individuals of the site sex know how to have fun with Ixxly, anytime, anywhere. derwei ess, wl manur brushe ' lure is washec “Th look as fble,” V ■ He used c monui Finding “the” girl is not easy. I’ve been playing the game on and off for 23 years. Most people don’t realize it’s a complicated game — I’m planning on I’m weary of girls who wear a lot of makeup. So weary, I won’t go out with them. God knows what’s under all that mascara and blush. When a girl removes that comglomeration of cosmetics from her face and lips, I want to see the same person — not some monster from my scariest nightmare. Arhhhhhh! A girl that looks as good in the morning as she did in the evening is a prized possession. Intellectually stimulating girlsalw enhance a relationship. Who likes tof out with girls that just sit, look prer and smile a lot? Not me. If 1 enjo« that kind of company I’dgobuyai: nequin f rom Dillards. One girl lotc' sionally spend time with istheepitou of unusual conversation. Shannonolf talks open-mindedly about topics would send a normal person in to vulsions— I’m not normal,solloveit east of along in Ap nected Buildi with tl The “mate game” is complex one ! the players play differently. Somegolif the win quickly, and some don’t. I’m still reading the rules. LETTERS: Adventurous, spunky, spontaneous girls are also hard to find (that is if Kevin S. Inda is a senior journals major and a weekly columnist for Battalion. LSG asks students for survey response EDITOR: Legislative Study Group, Texas A&M’s voice in the state legislature, will be mailing out questionnaires soon to a cross section of students. These questionnaires will ask for stu dent’s opinions on such issues as tuition increase and the drinking age. These opinions are of vital importance to our work. We are asking that all of those w ho receive the questionnaires fill them out and drop them off in boxes located at the MSG, Commons or 219 Pavillion. dressed in terms of “appearance of un ethical conduct” since Meese was fully exonerated of any legal wrongdoing. If appearances are sufficient to disqualify someone for public office, a far stronger case can be made against Senator Met- zenbaum D-Ohio (the most vocal oppo nent of Meese) on the basis of a $250,000 exchange between Metzen- baum and a business concerned about some pending Senate legislation. (Met- zenbaum subsequently returned the $250,000). If you do not receive a questionnaire and would like to express your opinion, stop by 219 Pavillion and pick one up. Mark Browning Legislative Study Group Meese’s opponents afraid of tough stand The “appearance” issue is a smoke screen to cover the real ideological op position to Meese’s tough approach to law enforcement. Meese supports man datory sentencing, capital punishment and victim’s rights legislation which are also supported by a majority of Ameri cans but are opposed by his detractors. It wouldn’t be good politics to oppose Meese on these grounds. Appearances are deceiving even on the “appearance” issue. EDITOR. A man enters his home and finds a visiting friend beaten to death. The man is subsequently arrested, tried and found innocent of murder due to lack of evidence (in fact a would-be burglar entered an unlocked door, surprised and murdered the friend and fled) but due to having been charged with mur der is deemed unfit to serve on a parole board. So goes the reasoning of the Batt editorial board regarding the nomi nation of Mr. Meese for Attorney Gen eral (Feb. 7). Presumably, the home- owner is unethical for having appeared as a murderer. Remember, next time you open your calculator during an exam, it may ap pear to the instructor that you have a crib sheet within. Douglas G. Duncan Lost wedding ring has sentimental value EDITOR: There are two levels of opposition be ing forwarded by Meese’s detractors; that of ethical conduct and that of ideol ogy. The question of ethics is being ad- A friend of mine lost a diamond ring while attendingThe A&M-Baylor bas ketball game at G. Rollie White last Wednesday. It is a wedding ring and has great sentimental value. Please call me at 845-3315 and leave a message if you have found it. Charean Williams The Battalion CISPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board Brigid Brockman, Editor Shelley Hoekstra, Managing Editor Ed Cassavoy, City Editor Kellie Dworaczyk, News Editor Michelle Powe, Editorial Page Editor Travis Tingle, Sports Editor The Battalion Staff Assistant City Editors ! Kari Fluegel, Rhonda Snide' Assistant News Editors Tammy Bell, Cami Brown, John Halle# Assistant Sports Editor Charean Williams Entertainment Editors Shawn Behlen, Leigh-EllenClarl Staff Writers Cathie Anderson, Brandon Berry, Dainah Bullard, Ann Cervenka, Tony Cornell. Michael Crawford, Kirsten Dien Patti Flint, Patrice Korand Trent Leopold, Sarah Oates jerry Oslin, Tricia Parkei. Lynn Rae Povte Copy Editor Kay Malle# Make-up Editors Karen Block, Karla Marti# Columnists Kevin Inda, Loren Steffi Editorial Cartoonist Mike Lane Sports Cartoonist DaleSniilh Copy Writer Cathy Benne# Photo Editor Katherine Hurt Photographers Anthony Casper. Wayne Grabein, Frank Irwin, John Makely, Peter Rocha, DeanSaiw Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, sell-supporting nmpipt' operated as ;i community service to Texas A&M id Bryan-Collegc Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of id Editorial Board or the author, and do not neeessariljrtjt resent the opinions of Texas /Vx M administrators, min or the Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratorynev/SBifetltt students in repotting, editing and photographythttB within the Department of Communications: Letters Policy Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial stall reserves the right to edit letters for style and length hut will make everv effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each letter must oe signed and must include the address and telephone number of the writer. The Battalion is published Monday through Frida) during Texas A&M regular semesters, exeqat for holidi) and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are (16.75 pet semester , 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 vSption, TX 77843. Editorial staff phone number: (409) 845-2630. Ad vertising: (409) 845-2611. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77S41 TOS TMASIER: Send address changes to The Battal ion, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843 A