The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, September 10, 1985, Image 1

Texas A&M Newspaper Collection

The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, September 10, 1985, Image 1

Newspaper Page TextSilver Taps ceremony tonight at 10:30 honors 8 Aggies — Page 3 Cowboys' Big 'D' intercepts Redskins for 30-point win — Page 9 TexasA&M f £ V • The Battalion Serving the University community 81 ho. 7 CJSPS 045360 14 pages College Station, Texas Tuesday, September 10, 1985 Reagan takes action against South Africa Botha says South Africa won't bow to pressure Associated Press JOHANNESBURG, South Af rica — President P.W. Botha said Congress forced. President Rea gan to adopt sanctions Monday against South Africa, but that Reagan’s plan “is less harmful” than what U.S. legislators pro posed . Botha did not criticize Reagan, but said Congress coerced the president to move on economic sanctions “in disregard of the wel fare and interests of our region.” Botha said South Africa would not bow to foreign pressure, but vowed the country would push See Botha, page 8 Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Re; gan abandoned his opposition to sanctions against South Africa Mon day and ordered implementation of most of the anti-apartheid provi sions in a bill that congressional lead ers said would have passed even over bis veto. Attempting to avoid the embar rassment of a foreign policy defeat in Congress, Reagan issued an exec utive order that he said was “aimed against the machinery of apartheid without indiscriminately punishing the people who are victims of that system." A year of racial violence in South Africa in which more than 650 peo ple had been killed, most of tnem black, had brought sharp attack in the United States and in Congress against Reagan’s policy of “construc tive engagement" with that country — quiet diplomacy to persuade the governing whites to share power with the voteless black majority. Until now, Reagan had justified his opposition to sanctions on the grounds that economic penalties would hurt blacks more than anyone else. Reagan’s order would prohibit U.S. banks from lending money to the South African government un less the funds are used to help the disenfranchised black majority as well as whites; ban computer exports to South African military and law enforcement agencies; and block the sale of nuclear technology to South Africa unless it is “necessary for hu manitarian reasons to protect health and safety.” In the order, signed in the Oval Office during a nationally broadcast ceremony, Reagan also proposed to ban importation of the Krugerrand, South Africa’s gold coin, subject to consultations with America’s major trading partners. Reagan sent U.S. Ambassador Herman Nickel back to Pretoria with a letter that the president said ex pressed his “grave view of the cur rent crisis and our assessment of _ what is needed.” “The American people are impa tient," Reagan said. “We all feel very strongly about the changes needed.” As a practical matter, most of the steps contained in Reagan’s exec utive order won’t have a substantial impact on the South African govern ment or economy, administration of ficials said. “There are prohibitions on sales of computers; there are prohibitions on sale of nuclear materials since South Africa has not signed the nu clear nonproliferation treaty,” Sec retary of State George P. Shultz said. Another senior administration of ficial, briefing reporters at the White House on condition he not be identi fied, said banning imports of Kru gerrands was the only penalty that marked a genuine change in existing policy. The president insisted he was not abandoning his policy of “construc tive engagement.” Faculty Senate OKs curriculum for genetics By MARYBETH ROHSNER Staff Writer The Faculty Senate approved the curriculum for an undergraduate degree in genetics in the first meet ing of the 1985-86 academic year Monday. The Senate also resolved that the body would consider taking legal ac tion against the state of Texas in re sponse to the elimination of accrued sick leave for some faculty members. More than an hour of discussion on the Senate floor resulted in the approval for a B.S. degree in genet ics. The University currently offers graduate degrees in genetics, and the undergraduate curriculum has been in the planning stage for seve ral years. Sen. Jane Magill, a professor in the biochemistry department, said the demand for undergraduates with extensive training in genetics is increasing. “Genetics majors would be em ployable,” Magill said. “Students nave asked why there isn’t a genetics degree offered at Texas A&M.’’ Dr. Jim Wild, a major proponent of the degree plan, answered sen ators’ queries about the new pro gram. If President Frank E. Vandiver approves the curriculum, the new department will be administered by the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics in the College of Agricul ture. And, even if approved, the new degree plan may take several years to materialize. "The earliest possible date (for be ginning the degree program) would beSeptemberof’87,” Magill said. In other business, Sen. John Mc Dermott submitted an emergency resolution suggesting that the Fac ulty Senate “take legal steps to re dress the grievances^ of faculty that are affected by the Texas legis lature’s decision to eliminate sick leave accrual. President Frank Vandiver said in his State of the University address that recent budget cuts have been a setback for Texas A&M, but he does not foresee a major crisis in finding funds. Solemn Shine Jamie Newberry, a senior management major from Dallas, polishes his trumpet in preparation for the Sil- Photo by K YLE HA WKINS ver Taps ceremony to be field in front of the statue of Lawrence Sullivan Ross tonight at 10:30. Scientists refusing ‘Star Wars’grants -9?—— — “As far as we know, this is the first time on a national basis that any group of scientists and engineers has re fused to work on a particular weapons system.” Sanford Gottlieb, director of United Campuses to Pre vent Nuclear War. Associated Press BOSTON — University scientists who claim the “Star Wars” def ense system is “science fiction” and a “co lossal waste of money" are asking colleagues to join them in refusing millions of dollars in research grants. Hundreds of engineers, chemists and physicists On more than two dozen campuses have pledged not to accept money for work on the Strat egic Defense Initiative, President Reagan's proposal for deflecting missiles in space. Congress has tentatively set aside S2.7 billion next year for research on the anti-missile system that proposes to create an enormous defensive shield of lasers and other weapons that could automatically shoot down Soviet missiles in the event of attack. Reagan has proposed a five-year budget for the program of $26 bil lion. “Our major emphasis is not to make a political statement but to point out that the bulk of the scien tists who would be working on it think it is technically infeasible and at the level of science fiction, ” said John Kogut, a physics professor at the University of Illinois in Urbana, one of two campuses where petitions have been circulating since June. The movement, which began in June at Uorneil cdiversity, spread during the summer to at least 31 campuses, where professors, grad uate students and research students joined the boycott, said Sanford Got tlieb, executive director of United Campuses to Prevent Nuclear War, which is helping to coordinate the petition drive. As of two weeks ago, 360 people had signed the pledge, but organiz ers said manv more had signed as schools returned to session. “As far as we know, this is the first time on a national basis that any group of scientists and engineers has refused to work on a particular weapons system,” Gottlieb said. The petition states that scientists “pledge neither to accept Strategic Defense Initiative support or work on projects funded by SDT, and en courage others to join in this refu sal.” “For a long time there has been an incorrect belief that you could sepa rate science and politics,” said David Wright, a physicist who helped start the drive at Cornell. “What we’re trying to tell people, " he said, “is that the reality of the situ ation is that they can no longer ig nore the political implications of their research." Coup crushed Loyalist Thai troops stop takeover attempt by rebels Associated Press BANGKOK, Thailand — Loyalist troops crushed a coup attempt Mon day oy 400 to 500 soldiers led by for mer top military men. Prime Min ister Prem Tinsulandona, who had been out of the country, returned hours after the tank-led rebel insur rection and pleaded for unity. Four people were reported killed and 59 wounded in nine hours of fighting. The acting army chief said three alleged coup leaders had been arrested. Among the dead were NBC News Bangkok bureau chief Neil Davis, and his soundman, Bill Latch. The two men were shot in front of the army compound as rebel-operated M-41 and M-48 tanks opened fire on the army radio station. At 6 a.m. rebel soldiers seized the official Radio Thailand and govern ment television Channel Nine. The rebels, calling themselves the “Revo lutionary Party,” announced they had seized power and dissolved the Parliament and Cabinet. The rebels moved tanks to the compounds of the Supreme Com mand, Government House, the First Army Division headquarters and the Public Relations Department, the national media center, all located within a one-square-mile radius. The rebels, with machine guns and 22 tanks, stormed the army ra dio station at 9:55 a.m., but gave up five hours later when the govern ment threatened to move in and crush them. The leaders of the coup an nounced over Radio Thailand that they had seized power, “to correct the seriously deteriorating situation of the economy.” White smoke rose from the badly damaged compound and the area resounded witli bursts of machine gun and pistol fire and exploding grenades. The compound was se riously damaged by tank fire, but held out. Radio Thailand said Prime Min ister Prerh hurried back from Indo nesia and had an audience with King Bhumipol Adulyadej, who is the sin gle greatest unifying symbol in Thai land and has figured prominently in the success or failure of previous at tempts to change power. In a brief television broadcast, Prem, who appeared on the verge of tears, said, “I want to stress that unity is the most important thing for our country. I want everyone to real ize this importance.” Gen. Tienchai Sirisumphun, act ing armed forces commander, speaking at a news conference, iden tified the key leaders of the coup at tempt as Kriangsak Chomanand, former prime minister and supreme commander; Manoon Rubkachorn, a former battalion commander in volved in an abortive 1981 coup; and his brother, Manat Rubkachorn, commander of the air force’s secu rity force. Tienchai identified other plotters See Coup, page 13 MSC Council discusses computer problems By MEG CADIGAN Staff Writer Computer problems were the main topic of discussions at the MSC Council meeting Monday. Robert Hawkins, executive vice president for administration, noted several problems with the present MSC computer system. “People don’t realize the capacity of the system,” said Hawkins. He said the system, which is oper ating at more than 90 percent of its capacity, has problems with quality control and training of those who use the computers. The council unanimously ap proved a task force to set guidelines for solving immediate computer problems, and to set long-range computer plans for the MSC. The long-range plans are to assess computer needs in all areas of the MSC and to develop an integrated computer plan. “Basically, what we need is a sys- temized plan for our computers,” Hawkins said. Jim Reynolds, MSC director, ex plained that the MSC hasn’t needed many computer usage guidelines in the past because there was no dan ger of exceeding the computer sys tem’s capacity. A “new and improved” process for approving MSC programs was presented bv David Klosterboer, ex ecutive vice president of progt ams. In the new process, all programs will be presented to the Program Re view Committee. Programs which in volve more than $2500 or ten per cent of a committee’s budget will be studied in greater detail. The purpose of review committee is to study the overall programming of the MSC, said Klosterboer. He said he hopes this will prevent sched uling conflicts between programs and give experienced MSC person nel a chance to evaluate programs before they happen. Klosterboer said a program study committee will review the programs after they have taken place and look to see if the monetary and student development goals have been met. In other areas. Open House Chairman Chris Bowers reported that Open House was successful and only went $ 150 over its budget. Bryan Tantzen, director of fund raising for Fall Leadership, reported that the committee’s fundraising ef forts resulted in a budget surplus of over$2000. MSC adviser assignments were approved and a new' organizational flow chart was presented. MSC Council President Denis Da vis announced two council position openings, executive vice president for marketing and personnel and vice president of finance. She said interviews for these positions will be held Sept. 15.

Texas A&M Newspaper Collection

Texas A&M Newspaper Collection

The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, September 10, 1985, Image 1

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