Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday, February 20, 1985
'
I
nmutiniii
Student could be an
asset to city council
A Texas A&M student is considering running for a seat on
the College Station City Council. It’s about time.
Mike Hachtman, an A&M junior, has been the Student Sen
ate liaison to the city council for two years. This position, al
though a non-voting position on the council, has placed Hacht
man in an informed and responsible position.
Many people feel students have no place on the city council
because they are transient and, therefore, probably aren’t con
cerned with the long-term effects of city legislation. However,
Hachtman has demonstrated his interest and concern for the
College Station community with his two years of experience on
the council.
Students may live here for no more than four or five years,
but they are an important part of the community and its eco
nomic structure. True, most students don’t pay property taxes
here. But they do pay sales tax. And they are affected by electri
city costs, phone and cable costs, road repairs and upkeep, traf
fic laws and enforcement.
As a city councilman, Hachtman would be representing all
students — not just himself, not just current students, but all stu
dents to come.
The fear that more students will follow Hachtman’s example
and take over local government is far-fetched at best. Being a
city council member is a time-consuming job. There is not going
to be a rush of students eager to become city councilmen. Only
those truly concerned with the city, with fair representation of
students in the city, would consider running. Being a student is a
full-time job in itself.
Hachtman is an exception to that rule. He has proven he is
not apathetic about the community. And if given the chance, he
could be an asset to the council and the community. He could
provide fresh insight from a different, but important, perspec
tive — that of more than 33,000 A&M students.
If Hachtman does decide to run, it may show those in the
community who fear student involvement that while many stu
dents are here today and gone tomorrow, their concerns for
their community are not.
The Battalion Editorial Board
Big ‘D’ traffic is a big
pain in the carburetor
J
The feeling of
insignificance can
sweep over a per
son at the strang
est of times, for no
apparent reason,
and in the most
unexpected ways.
Humor, I’ve dis
covered , is the
only way to sur
vive.
Free-floating anxiety and the feeling
of being swallowed up by a huge blob of
quivering confusion is not something I
look forward to. Who does?
But no sane human being can avoid
feeling sometime in his life that he is
facing something bigger than himself.
Journey to Dallas sometime. Any
time. As you roar — and enjoy it while
you can — over the last crest of the hill
you cannot help being affected by the
incredible beauty of the Dallas skyline.
But then your eyes drop to the other
thing. That twisting, turning, immobile,
all encompassing monster called Dallas
traffic.
Crawl along the lanes and watch the
world unfold. Scream, yell, weep or
drop your head in silent befuddlement;
it doesn’t matter, because it won’t go
away.
You are trapped in a automotive
treadmill, and a slow one at that.
Why? Why? Why? is the question that
swims around your groggy brain. Tor
ture yourself with theories about the
origin of the problem. But you might as
well look for the beginning of a circle.
Fume and groan over the traffic jam
ming into two lanes. The huge electro
nic arrow mindlessly pushing you over
the precipice. A tiny line of orange
cones squat between you and freedom.
Slowly, so slowly, you move your way
through five radio stations or 10 traffic
reports. As far as the eye can see, that
one open lane sits contently. For no ap
parent reason it appears that the lane is
blocked off.
Mile after terrible mile you go. And
then you see it.
The reason.
There, nonchalantly, obscenely, two
trucks are sweeping the gutter along the
side of the highway.
Ah, now it all comes clear. The Uni
verse does have an answer. Here is the
face of Oz, the man behind the Iron
Mask, Batman without his hood.
Now as you grind by those two
nameless, insignificant men hunched
behind the steering wheels of those
trucks comes an answer to all your ques
tions.
Go to Houston.
So you do. And now you feel safe.
Dare I say happy?
Foolish mortal, you’ve just switched
masters. You are wrapping yourself in
new chains. You’ve got a new drug.
Houston, city of the perpetual rain
cloud, the city without a downtown.
The traffic is definately there, but it’s
different.
I think Houston has developed a level
of traffic jam sophistication that Dallas
lacks.
Houston challenges you to literally
ride the rollercoaster.
It seems like you are all one big con
tinuous steam roller. Once you are in
the flow of traffic, you hug the bumper
of the sucker in front of you. In your
rear view mirror you are treated to a
clear view of the grill ornament of the
guy behind.
You are in the belly of the beast.
Whip along at 80 plus miles an hour
and drive by the skin of your teeth. One
brake light, one merging car will destroy
this glorious adventure. And your new
paint job as well.
So you trudge on home, home to the
land of a million police forces. Bryan
city police, College Station city police,
University police, DPS, sheriffs.
You are safe in College Station.
The traffic is fairly sane, and your
blood pressure stays mercifully stable.
You sigh with relief and aim for that
special place on campus. You mind the
stop signs, duck campus cop speed traps
and avoid the flurry of doors thrown
open into your path.
Cruising up to your destination, you
have survived. You’ve won. You are an
important person again. You are signifi-
gant.
But there is one itsy bitsy, insignifi
cant detail to solve.
Something more precious than gold
— a parking spot.
Ed Cassavoy is a senior journalism ma
jor and the city editor for The Battal
ion.
Budget cuts would spell troubl
for A&M and local community (
Editor’s Note:
This is the first of
a two-part series
on the effects of . , T -
the proposed bud- deader s Forum
get cuts on Texas Beader s Forum
A&M. Reader’s Forum
Much has been 1
discussed in recent
weeks about the
impact of poten
tial budget cuts on the Texas A&M com
munity. The “crisis” over higher educa
tion funding originated from the
recommendations of the Legislative
Budget Board (LBB) which were issued
last December. The LBB, a panel of key
legislators chaired by Lt. Gov. Bill
Hobby and vice-chaired by House
Speaker Gib Lewis, called for a reduc
tion of nearly 26 percent from the fund
ing of state colleges and universities —
including a 20 percent cut from Texas
A&M University.
While more recent proposals have re
duced the severity of these reductions,
none have called for less than a six per
cent decrease (which represents almost
$133 million under the 1985 biennial
level statewide), and almost all of these
call for a substantial increase in tuition.
Although a six percent reduction may
seem much more desirable than a 20
percent cut, such a reduction would still
have serious repercussions to Texas
A&M and other state universities. The
impact of any budget reduction would
extend into all aspects of student life —
academics, student services and even
the community around us.
The effects of a sizable budget reduc
tion to the academic environment at
A&M would be devastating and imme
diate. Any reduction in faculty salary
expenditures would leave the academic
deans with two undesirable options —
across-the-board salary reductions or
staff cutbacks. The repercussions of a
salary decrease would include an effec
tive reduction in faculty size, partic
ularly in the Colleges of Business and
Engineering. One top University official
stated that such a salary reduction in
these highly competitive fields would
send faculty away toward higher-paying
jobs in industry or at other universities.
Moreover, the lost faculty would come
from two sectors vital to the University
— prominent professors who currently
enhance our reputation and young pro
fessors who represent our academic fu
ture. These, in particular, are the fac
ulty members whom we can least afford
to lose.
The impact of any loss of faculty
upon the students can be easily seen. A
smaller teaching staff could only sup
port a limited student body, and this
would call for enrollment cutbacks. Fur
thermore, existing class sizes would in
crease, resulting in an overall decrease
in the quality of education. Also, aca
demic opportunities such as specialized
course offerings and summer programs
could be jeopardized by staff reduc
tions.
Other academic sectors affected by
funding cuts include graduate pro
grams and library facilities. Fewer grad
uate teaching positions would receive
funding, resulting in a further increase
in the work load of the remaining fac
ulty. The consequence of this is de
creased availability of faculty members
for assistance to individual students.
Cutbacks in library funding would re
sult in service decreases in a facility
which is presently inadequate for the
needs of the University. Both of these
factors would negatively affect academic
life at A&M.
While the majority of the cutbacks
would affect the academic environment
at A&M, student services would also be
affected. Departments such as intramu
rals, the MSC, Beutel Health Center
and student activities are funded from
student service fees and not state alloca
tions. However, any cutbacks in stale al
locations would be reflected in the Uni
versity-wide budget guidelines — which
must be followed by all University de
partments. Thus, even though the
funding for these areas would be intact,
their expenditure levels would have to
be decreased. The result, of course,
would be a decline in the quality of stu
dent services offered.
Another potential problem lies in the
area of University bookstore profits.
These profits currently provide funding
for a number of student organizations,
as well as vocal music groups and Uni
versity art exhibits. However, these
funds might be reallocated in the face of
a budget crisis — which would result in
a disastrous setback for student services
and student organizations. Evert
this would cause an increase in m
service f ees, further increasing^
of an education.
Perhaps the most serious(and|e
nent) impacts of the “budgeic
would lx* economic in nature.Im
to reduce the severity of thebudit
backs, many legislators have tale;
stiff increases in tuition. Then
sonable tuition plans under tors
ation in Austin would increaset
tuition to $12 per credit hour it
and $18 per credit hour by Mi |
out-of-state tuition would intra
$180 per credit hour in 1987.lti
riod of decreasing availabilityo(i
cial aid, this tuition increasewout
Fo
from
stabil
ment
naria
Di
fesso
who
hum:
says
when
pet (
rougl
“A
latioi
vide
i n g
nontl
repi t
whirl
for.'’
Fo
a college education beyond therts
a large number of students.
A serious ramification of tliei
tions in students and facultytk
result from budget cutbacks hi
nomic impact on the localcorami
decline in the number of stud®
faculty who live in Bryan-Colt!i
lion would decrease the and
money that the University putsr
Icoal economy. It has been esq
that for every dollar cut fromAt\
local economy will sufferance
$2 .50. Due to the role of researdJ
ities in attracting industries (s:
tax bases) to, the area, each dd
from such activity will produced
$4 from the local community W
in research spending would seffi
damage the efforts to make Tec:
tional high-tech center.
up II
inclm
sori.il
trans
To
owne
and I
shoul
"Si
bils,
Corn
pel
can a
“I
ter t
don’t
edge:
No
factoi
advai
Mr Ci
anim
sure.
“A
sense
A final impact which bodesi lts o w
long-term f uture of A&M liesir. ^ ^
of our endowments — the PeE j sn ( (
University Fund and Available p e t.
Money f rom the Available Fund' Kii
is intended to finance long-tent: says,
lence at Texas A&M, will men: an< * r
likely Ik* committed to the fund:.
basic academic programs. Sudir
tion would undermine the trw-
tiveness of our endowment-wil
in damage to the long-termpotet ;
Texas A&M.
In tomorrow’s article, theeffe
derway to prevent these decreas
be discussed, as well as actions^
dents may take to assist in thesee!)
Mike Kelley is the Student Go\tS
vice president for finance.
The Battalion
USPS045 360
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Confcrcnct
The Battalion Editorial Boui
Brigid Brockman, Editor
Shelley Hoekstra, Managing Edit:
Ld Cassavoy, City Editor
Kellie Dworaczyk, News Editor
Michelle Powe, Editorial Page Edit:
Travis Tingle, Sports Editor
The Battalion Staff
Assistant City Editors -
Kari Fluegel, Rhondai'
Assistant News Editors....
Cami Brown, John Hallett.Ka))
Assistant Sports Editor....
Chareanl'i
Entertainment Editors....
Shawn Behlen, Leigh-ElW
Staff Writers CatnieAi
Brandon Berry, DainatiBi
Ann Cervenka, MichaelCra 1 '
Kirsten Dietz,Patt’
Patrice Koranek, Trent
Sarah Oates,Jem
Tricia Parker, Lynn Rati
Copy Editors .Jan Perry, KellC
Make-up Editors Karen!
Karla!!
Columnists Kevin Inda.Lortn!
Editorial Cartoonist Mil
Sports Cartoonist
Copy Writer
Photo Editor Kathennd.
Photographers Anthonjt
Wayne (irabein, Bill Hughes, Frank!
John Makely, Peter Rocha, Deal
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