Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday, September 18,1985
Opinion
Private business
won't do the job
Deregulating the U.S. Postal Service is becoming a popular
topic. Postal rates are increasing and some think the quality of
service is decreasing. But handing our mail system over to a pri
vate industry is not the answer.
In the early 1800s, before the U.S. Mail offered service to
what is now the western United States, independent companies
tried unsuccessfully to manage mail distribution. Without the
government’s organization and funding, the mail could not go
through.
Today the Postal Service is suffering from too much organi
zation and funding. Bureaucracy and unionization inhibit effi
cient mail delivery. James Miller, who is waiting to be confirmed
as President Reagan’s budget director, says the Postal Service
isn’t managing itself as well as a private company would. He says
that a private company would operate on a smaller budget and
move the mail faster. /
Rising costs of union employees and red tape hinder the ef
ficient use of a government monopoly in the postal service.
Before deregulating the postal system, why doesn’t Congress
lower the salaries of overpaid postal workers, cut through bu
reaucratic red tape and reorganize management to create a
smoother postal system? Then maybe the paradox of rising costs
and decreasing service will end.
The Battalion Editorial Board
Mail Call
Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit
letters for style and length but will make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each letter must
be signed and must include the address and telephone number of the writer.
What AIA really wants
EDITOR:
I was appalled and angered when I
read an article in a local newspaper.
There seems to be
a nationwide watchdog group that has
formed to fight liberal bias in college
classrooms by auditing courses, then re
porting their “findings of liberalism and
marxism” by college professors to in
form the poor, unsuspecting public of
“biased teaching.”
This group that goes by the menda
cious title of Accuracy In Academia has
said they have no immediate plans for
Texas A&M, but is ready to audit and
report “misstatements by professors” at
the University of Texas.
Such auditing will be done by a group
at that university. An instructor of mine
brought this potentially frightening sit
uation to the attention of my classmates.
Except for myself, no one else was
aware of the AIA, and this complacency
sent chills down my spine. This group,”
if allowed to continue to heighten their
asinine activities, would not only be re
porting on lectures, but in a sense, ma-
nipulating and stifling our very
thoughts and ideas. And that is an im-
pardonable sin not only in the academic
community, but in the world at large.
I didn’t come to this University to
learn a lot of filtered, generic facts being
passed through a narrow-minded fun
nel. I came as an individual, seeking
other individuals, with independent
minds of their own, to learn in an atmo
sphere electrified with so many ideas
and thoughts and so much untethered
knowledge. The intrusion — no, inva
sion — of universities nationwide and
the ensuing “witch hunt” of their faculty
seems to be an Armageddon of the free
doms of thought and speech.
I, as a concerned student, have a sim
ple request: that you, fellow students
and learned professors, become aware
of this travesty of the academic commu
nity, your community and your chil
dren’s and know what this “Accuracy In
Academia” is really trying to accompl
ish.
David Banks ‘87
Students suffering
from cablevision
EDITOR:
As a member of the staff at one of
College Station’s predominantly stu
dent-occupied apartment properties, I
am appalled at the treatment being
given Texas A&M students by one of
our local “service” (?) businesses.
Evidently McCaw Cablevision does
not consider the fall semester at the
University an opportunity to welcome
our past students back to town or to pro
vide fof our many new students living
away from home for the first time a
pleasant transition to “living on their
own.”
Apparently McCaw sees this time of
year as a chance to squeeze every possi
ble penny out of their young customers
(who, incidentally, have no choice,
thanks to the merger of our two former
cable companies, if they wish to enjoy
any form of pay TV). In the apartment
business we spend most of our work
days trying to provide the best possible
“homes away from home” for the dura
tion of the students’ academic years.
The business practices of McCaw are
a gross injustice to the very people who
support not only my job, but thousands
of others in Bryan-College Station. A
few of the “questionable” business prac
tices McCaw engages in at present are:
1. Demanding a copy of each stu
dent’s lease upon request of service. A
lease is a binding contract between the
property and the resident. It is none of
McCaw’s business how much rent you
pay, who you live with or how long you
nave agreed to live in your residence.
When questioned about this demand, a
McCaw representative stated that the
lease copy, which McCaw keeps on file,
is needed because they intend to charge
a yet-undetermined fee upon the
change of roommate names on the
lease. Anyone who has ever dealt with
the students knows that due to personal
ity conflicts, changes in financial status,
etc., roommates change constantly.
What a wonderful source of revenue
McCaw has found!
2. Several students have complained
they were repeatedly billed by McCaw
for basic cable — even when basic was
f iaid by the complex where they resided.
n the apartment business you may not
legally charge what is considered “Dou
ble Rent.” Evidently McCaw has their
own laws for billing.
3. When our mass influx of students
began in June, McCaw decided to
change their practice of issuing boxes to
the students when they signed up for ca
ble at the business office. Instead, after
completing the paperwork, giving a
copy of your lease for their files and
paying your money, McCaw now sends
a serviceman to your residence to place
the box on your TV and join the
adapter to the TV. This enables IV^cCaw
to cnarge you a $15.00 ACTIVATION
CHARGE. Evidently, McCaw does not
believe A&M students, many of whom
are engineering majors, are capable of
attaching two pieces of cable together.
Or perhaps McCaw simply “enginee
red” another wonderful avenue of addi
tional revenue.
Students, some of us appreciate your
being here in our fine city. Evidently
others see your stay as the ultimate op
portunity to milk you of every cent pos
sible. Before you sign up for any “servi
ces,” be aware of your rights. YOU can
be the one who makes or breaks a busi
ness
W. Warren
College Station
Reward offered
EDITOR:
Friday I left my brown Buick Regal
parked on Throckmorton between Jer
sey and Lewis St. The next morning I
discovered that it had been hit on tne
passenger side’s rear corner. Police
Hassled freedom worth
move from the Dorm Zone
A s mi d n i g h t
settled within the
halls of the dorm,
the noise level was
just peaking.
I had just begun
to study for to-
morrow’s quiz
when the door
burst open —
again.
For the third
Camille
Brown
time that night I had someone in my
dorm room for a friendly chat, and the
visits came between a fire drill, a floor
nacho party and a philosophical debate
on the merits of Sbisa Dining Hall.
This, sadly enough, was not the ex
ception but the evening routine. Before
midnight I was the envy of all politicians
— a model socialite and happy to be
there. After 1 a.m., when the muffled
roar fell over the hall, I would finally be
gin to concentrate on my overdue
homework assignments. Life in the
dorm was anything but boring.
It was about 1:30 a.m. on one of those
nights when the potentially wonderful,
magical benefits of an apartment were
finally made clear to me.
I decided to move off campus.
I knew at that moment that I would
gladly tolerate the hassles of monthly
rent payments and the pains of catching
the early morning shuttle bus. I was re
ady to sign my first lease. I was ready to
face stereo-blasting neighbors.
I yearned for the chance to park my
car within a mile of where I lived.
After three years of bubbly, on-cam-
pus dorm life, criticism of apartment
life was not going to wane my growing
enthusiasm to have my own swinging
bachelorette pad.
But now, four weeks into my world of
reality. I’m still learning all the ups and
downs of being a real person living in a
real apartment. I’m learning about the
little things that Texas A&M protected
me from during my three-year, shel
tered existence in Haas Hall.
In the dorm, I lived year-round in
sweatsuits and sweaters, because I had a
roommate who believed in arctic com
fort. I’m sure my roommate just wanted
to see how low the thermostat could go
before icicles formed in the toilet. Ex
periments like this contributed to her
high grade point as a biology major.
I haven’t seen my year-round sweat
suit since last spring. In my new duplex,
the thermostat is kept at a toasty 80 de
grees, and only the strategically placed
fans keep the air in our sauna just below
the boiling point. And, of course, the
screens on the windows have never
materialized so I have to lock out any
hope of a passing breeze to cool the
place down for free.
Which brings up a subject I was
warned about — repairs. In the dorm, I
turned in a work order for everything
from minor inconveniences to semi-tra
gic outages. As a paying resident of
Haas Hall, we had the right to complain
if the sink wasn’t unstopped within 24
hours.
to work through.
So
Nc.
pregi
mixei
bits <
one (
to bn
"Pad
If
uted
Extei
on p
luncl
Co
nutn
of br
pus,
nior 1
A
non s
“VN
can
Hum
Sh
less tl
alum
Hi
luncl
pack<
food
reser
Tl
Tic
By
So now that I have made the jump
from convenient, cramped luxury to
hassled freedom, I can knowingly look
back and spot the most treasured and
hated aspects of dorm life. Dorm resi
dents should appreciate the free toilet
paper and those all-too-rare “unruns,"
but when visitation hours and late
night noise gets to you, there is an al
ternative.
I You )
gown to i
pore. Y
Ithe Tex;
The
| through
iys Del
r for tl
“Tick
jered tl
Feb. 1,”
Ticke
jvhich s
vent. T
After four weeks in the duplex I’m
still patiently waiting for the property
manager to put on the screens, fix the
disposal, put the hinges on the pantry
door, plug the hole in the bathtub, at
tach the freezer door cover and mow
the front lawn. I’m sure the delay has
nothing to do with the overdue inven
tory sheet still lying unmarked on the
kitchen cabinet.
Just off campus there lies another
time zone, complete with private
rooms, unlimited visitation hours and
most importantly, parking. ,
purer u
service,:
Murr
Bhrough
My new stack of monthly bills and a
few inconveniences are a worthy
trade-off for off-campus comfort.
Camille Brown is a senior journalism
major and a columnist for The Battal-
Roaches are an inevitable part of
life in College Station. The little
monsters will find you whether you
live in a dorm or a duplex. They’ll
even climb stairs — there were as
many roaches on the fourth floor of
Haas as there were on floor one.
Only one difference marks an off-
campus roach stomp. If I kill a roach
in my duplex, I have to pick it up to
throw it away. In the dorm, I just
swept the remains into the hall to be
vacuumed away by the maid early the
next morning. On-campus roach kill
ing was almost painless.
Now, as an added safety precaution,
I have to use almost half a roll of toilet
paper to pick up the smashed bug
without touching it. I justify the in
crease in toilet paper costs by counting
the expenditure as a type of insurance
against illness.
And little did I realize that moving
off campus would be a move into a dif
ferent time zone. I actually get tired at
midnight in the duplex, but in the
dorm zone, midnight is the beginning
of study hall. Bedtime in the dorm was
usually around 2 a.m., but now the
stillness of a private room rocks me to
sleep by 12:30 a.m.
This has cut study time down to
about 30 minutes a day. This is one of
the many adjustments I’m still trying
Mail Call
found blue paint on my car and match
ing chips on the ground. They said
without any kind of witness I would
have to pay for it.
Welcome backAgs
EDITOR:
I’m asking that anyone seeing or
hearing anything about my car to give
me a call. Also, if anyone sees a blue ve
hicle with a dented left front end with
brown paint streaks that may have been
involved to please call me. I don’t have
the money to get my car fixed, but I will
give a $50 reward for information lead
ing to the apprehension of the driver of
the blue vehicle.
We would like to welcome all of you
back for the start of the fall semester.
After a summer of fun and excitement
and perhaps a little work, we’re sure you
all are eager to once again resume your
educational pursuits.
Kelvin Deupree
260-3793
We’re sure all Aggies are looking for
ward to a great fall and football season.
You can be sure we will be doing our
part with the 12th Man and we look for
ward to visiting with many of. you this
year. Once again, welcome back and
good luck!
Joe and Patty Hlavinka ’56
Parents of the Year 1985-86
The Battalion
USPS 045 360
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
The Battalion Editorial Board
Rhonda Stlider, Editor
Michelle Powe, Managing Editor
Loren Steffy, Opinion Page Editor
Karen Bloch, City Editor
John Hallett, Kay Mallett, News Editors
Travis Tingle, Sports Editor
The Battalion Staff
Assistant City Editors
Kirsten Dietz, Jerry Oslin
Assistant News Editors
Cathie Anderson, Jan Perry
Assistant Sports Editor
Charean Williams
Entertainment Efiitors
Cathy Riely, Walter Smith
Art Director Wayne Grabein
Copy Editors Rebecca Adair,
Mike Davis, Sarah Oates
Make-up Editor Ed Cassavoy
Staff Writers Tamara Beil,
Meg Cadigan, Ed Cassavoy,
Cindy Gay, Doug Hall,
Paul Herndon, Wendy Jonnson
Tammy Kirk, Jens Koepke,
Trent Leopold, Mary McWhorter,
June Pang, Tricia Parker,
Brian Pearson, Lynn Rae Povec,
Marybeth Rohsner, Gigi Shamsy,
Kenneth Sury
Cartoonists Mike Lane,
Scott McCullar, Kevin Thomas
Columnists Camille Brown,
John Hallett, Karl Pallmeyer
Photographers Greg Bailey,
Anthony Casper, Frank Hada,
Jaime Lopez, Michael Sanchez
Editorial Policy
The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper
operated as a community service to Texas A&M and
Bryan-College Station.
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the
Editorial Board or the author, and do not necessarily rep
resent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, faculty
or the Board of Regents.
vSpaper
students in reporting, editing and photography classes
within the Department of Communications.
The Battalion is published Monday through Friday dur
ing Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holiday and
examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per se
mester, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Ad
vertising rates furnished on request.
Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald
Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
77843. Editorial staff phone number: (409) 845-3316. Ad
vertising: (409) 845-2611.
Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battal
ion, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
77843