Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1985)
Election controversy Spiker search over A&M students subpoenaed to testify Condon lands four '85 Aggie recruits Page 4 Page 12 —l£xasA &M Q -- 1# 1 tie Battalion Vol. 80Mo. 107 CJSPS 045360 14 pages College Station, Texas Friday, March 1, 1985 Senate confirms A&M regent appointment From staff and wire reports AUSTIN — 1 he Senate on Thursday confirmed without com ment the appointment ol Austin businessman John Mobley as a re gent at Texas A&M University. Mobley’s appointment became controversial when Sen. Kent Caper- ton, D-Bryan, complained in a sen ate speech that he had not been con suited by Gov. Mark White before the appointment w as made. Caperton represents the A&M area, and he said he would have pre ferred that White name Caperton’s lot iner law partner, Don Mauro, as an A&M regent. On Wednesday, however, Caper- ton said he had met with the gover nor, and added, “I think the point has !>een made. The governor has indicated that he’s serious about im proving relations with the Senate. I think from now on there will he con sultations with senators involved.” White recently hired Houston lawyer John Odam, 41. as special counsel to the governor. Odam’s main responsibility will be to act as a liaison between the governor’s office and the Senate. Royce Wisenbaker, Tyler, also was confirmed by the Senate for a sec- ond term as an A&M regent. Mobley said Wednesday that he has “no special agenda,” for his term as a regent. “1 want to be a good regent and help build A&M into an even better University,” he said. “I want to be a team player.” Mobley said he would support a tuition increase along the lines pro posed by Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby, who has recommended an increase from $4 to $8 per semester hour next year and an increase to $ 12 the next year. “State sources are limited,” Mob ley said. “But with a lew exceptions, our out-of-state tuition is extremely low compared to other states. Right now, students can come here and get _ , Photo by DEAN SAITO Bird Harvest The farmer who owns this field outside Pattison is going to however, are only taking a rest stop. They are probably mi- have a hard time harvesting this crop. These migrating birds, grating north as the winter season ends. Software program copying Copyrights don’t stop By KIRSTEN DIETZ I Staff Writer In his accounting business, George (not his real name) regularly uses seven computer software pro grams which retail from $200 to 5500 each. But, he got them free John (not his real name), a fresh man computer science major, keeps a computer in his dorm room. He has an extensive library of software with more than 25 computer pro grams averaging about $150 each. All he paid was the price of the dis kettes the programs were copied onto. George and John both violated the U.S. copyright law, which for bids the copying of a copyrighted software program. Because this is il legal. the names of those interviewed who have copied programs have been changed upon request. Hal Hall, head of the special for mats division in the Sterling C. Evans Library, says a simplified ver sion of the copyright law is posted by every computer and copy machine in the library’s Learning Resource Department. He says the depart ment is basically unsupervised and depends on the ethics and honesty of the people using the computers to obey the law. “My job is not to go out there and say ‘thou shalt not copy’ and make them stop,!’ he says. Hall says if someone is caught copying, the person is informed he is breaking the law and asked to stop. He says most people don’t realize they’re doing anything illegal, de spite the written warnings near the computers. thefts Larry Bowles, manager of the Academic Computing Center, says there are no signs posted in the ACC, but all copyrighted programs clearly state that it is illegal to copy them. “A lot of those precautions are only going to keep honest people honest,” Bowles says. “A sign or a warning is not going to prevent any one from copying.” Bob Strader, manager of the Ea gle Lab in Zachry Engineering Cen- See COPYRIGHTS, page 10 an education for less than they could in their own states.” Other appointees confirmed on a 27-0 vote Thursday include: State Auditor— Lawrence Alwin, Harris County. Texas Water Development Board — Stuart Coleman, Brown; Glen Ro ney, Hidalgo. Texas 1986 Sesquicentenntal Commission -— Beverly Cummings, Harris. Texas County and District Retire ment System Board of Trustees — John Gayle Jr., Brazoria; Jack Treadway, Harris. Texas Public Building Authority — Gerald Goff, Travis; Glen Hefner, Harris; Marilyn Jones, Bexar. Texas National Guard Armory Board — V.C. Eissler, Harris. Texas Board of Licensure for Nursing Home Administrators — Jean Trebert, Dallas. Polygraph Examiners Board — James Hood Ill. Dallas. Proposed raises in tuition causing students to worry Ihis is the second article in a two- part series on proposed increases in college tuition. By JERRY OSLIN Staff Writer Tuition for Texas colleges and universities is expected to go up and this has some students at Texas A&M worried. “II non-resident tuition w'ere to double, then I would have to get a >art-time job,” said Tim Young, a reshman mechanical engineering major from Boise, Idaho. “If it were to triple, then I would have to work full time and go to school part time.” The House Higher Education Committee is currently considering two tuition-raising bills. A bill sponsored by Rep. Gary Thompson, D-Abilene, would raise non-resident tuition from the cur rent $40 per semester hour to $80 per hour for 1985-86 and to $92 per hour for 1986-87. In the fall of 1987, non-resident students would start paying 75 percent of their edu cation costs as tuition. A bill sponsored by Rep. Wilhel- mina Delco D-Austin would raise non-resident tuition to $120 per hour for 1985-86 and to $180 per hour for 1986-87. Young said he also is being af fected by the cutback in federal stu dent aid. “My parents make too much money for me to get federal aid,” he said. “I don’t think they should have to pay for my school.” Brian Hay, a graduate agriculture student from Scotland, said raising non-resident tuition would hurt the University’s graduate programs. “Low tuition helps to attract top- quality graduate students,” Hay said. “If Texas raised its out-of-state tu ition, graduate students would start thinking twice about going to school here.” Hay said raising tuition is espe cially unfair for international stu dents. -St 4«r i i ^-*11 , International stu<V vis k. t vote and they can’t pres^.IT^e Legis lature," he said. “It’s easy for the Legislature to stack up legislation against them.” Hay also said the argument saying Texas taxpayers subsidize non-resi dent students is not entirely, true. He said non-resident students pay sales taxes and other taxes here, as well. “I’ve always believed in qp taxa tion without representation,” he said. The two bills also call for raising resident tuition. Delco’s bill calls for raising resi dent tuition to $8 per hour for 1985- 86 and to $12 per hour for 1986-87. After that, it will be raised $2 per hour every year until 1990. Thompson’s bill calls for raising resident tuition to $9 per hour foi 1985- 86 and to $15 per hour for 1986- 87. Resident students would pay 15 percent of their educational cost starting in fall of 1987. Stephen Rohfbough, a freshman aerospace engineering major from San Antonio, said he would be hurt by an increase in resident tuition. “I have two brothers in college right now and a tuition increase would make it much harder on my parents,” he said. “If tuition were to be raised, I would definitely have to seek financial aid.” Charlotte Teddlie, a senior En glish major from Buffalo, said she could support a tuition increase if fi nancial aid also would be increased. “The Legislature would be justi fied in raising tuition if they raised financial aid also,” she said. “If they don’t raise financial aid, they are going to shut people out. I think that people should not be turned away from going to college just because they can’t afford it.” today is last day for filing in student elections By ROBIN ROBERTSON Reporter Students wanting to file for posi tions in Student Government, the Residence Hall Association and Off Campus Aggies as well as yell leaders can do so until 5 p.m. today. To file for an office, a student must pick up a form in the Pavilion and return the form to the Student Government office before the dead line. Candidates for student body pres ident and one of the five vice-presi dential positions must also submit a petition signed by 100 Texas A&M students. Candiaates for student senators must have a petition signed by 25 students. The candidates for student body president are required to have a 2.5 grade-point ratio and have been en rolled at A&M for three consecutive, semesters. Candidates for the legis lative vice presidential positions as well as senators must have a 2.25 GPR. RHA has four positions available: president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. Applicants running for treasurer and secretary must have a 2.25 GPR. OCA also has four available posi tions. Those interested in the two junior and three senior yell leader positions must have a 2.0 GPR and must main tain a 2.25 GPR while in office. There are five class council posi tions for each class — president, vice .president, treasurer, secretary and social secretary — with the exception of the Class of 1986. The Class of 1986 also will elect an historian. The graduate student council also has openings. Laura Madia, election co-commis sioner, said that 180 application forms have been handed out, but only 50 forms have been returned. A $3 filing fee is required to off set copying and advertising ex penses, Madia said. The elections will be March 27-28, and cam paigning will begin March 1 7. Spring break can be more than surf, snow Editor's note: With spring break less than two weeks away, it's time to start planning for those out-of-town trips. This is the third article in a three-part series on places to go dur in%spring break. By TRENT LEOPOLD Staff Writer Although snow skiing and beach bumming seem to be the most popu lar spring break activities, other op tions do exist. The Ozark Mountains in Missouri offer a peaceful setting in which to forget about lists and formulas that need to be learned before the next test, or the paper that is due the day after spring break. Spelunking, fishing, horseback riding and relaxing all are offered near the small resort town of Bran son, located in the Ozarks not far from Table Rock Lake and Lake Taneycomo, about 45 miles south of Springfield, Mo. Lake Taneycomo is well known for its fishing. Hundreds of trout fill the cold waters in the main part of the lake, and the warm-water trib utaries are home for bass, bluegill and other fish species. Scenic boat rides on both lakes are scheduled daily for those who enjoy seeing some of Mother Nature’s fin es i In Branson, many of the night spots feature a hillbilly atmosphere and food such as french frankfurt ers, sauerkraut and corn bread. Hill- B0URBON St.! billy dancing also is featured at many of the dubs and the basic steps aren’t hard to learn. Reservations can be made at ho tels and motels in downtown Bran son, however resorts on Lake Taney- como have no vacancies available for at least one year. Closer to home, Lake Travis in Austin offers a peaceful atmo sphere. The 22-mile long lake begins with the cold waters from Mansfield Dam and meanders through tall hills on either side, past several large park lands and private housing de velopments in Austin and West Lake Hills. If spring break instills visions of eating real Cajun cooking at a south ern restaurant, the city of New Or leans is where the reality can be ex perienced. Aim yourself straight to the the French Quarter of New Orleans. Be prepared though, anything goes on Bourbon Street. Women have been known to swing out of barroom win dows wearing nothing but their birthday suits. Mexico and the (Caribbean offer spring break .sights outside the United States. Cancun, Mazatlan, Ensenada and Acalpulco are some of the tourist-oriented cities in Mexico, while Jamaica, the Virgin Islands and the Bahamas are favorite tourist locations in the Caribbean. But for those wanting to stay in the United States and still get away from locales in and near Texas — See SPRING, page 8 Big Event is conning Saturday By CATHY RIELY Reporter Most people would he reluc tant to spend a Saturday af ternoon in a cemetery. But 500 Aggies have volunteered to do just that. As part of this year’s Big Event, student volunteers will record names from tombstones for the local genealogical society. The students will work at all 12 ceme teries in the Bryan-College Sta tion area. The Big Event is a community- wide service project sponsored by Student Government.This is the third and most successful year for the project, Maritza Pena, com mittee chairman, said. About 5,000 people from 130 organiza tions will provide the manpower for 76 jobs. The Big Event is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pena said the name recording is the biggest project. Other jobs See BIG EVENT, page 10