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Opinion
The Battalion
(USPS 045 360)
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
The Battalion Editorial Board
Loren Steffy, Editor
Marybeth Rohsner, Managing Editor
Mike Sullivan, Opinion Page Editor
Jens Koepke, City Editor
Jeanne Isenberg, Sue Krenek, News Editors
Homer Jacobs, Sports Editor
Tom Ownbey, Photo Editor
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Not a prayer
The high court can’t seem to keep itself from swinging its mighty
gavel in the face of American morality.
After two lower federal courts struck down a New Jersey law al-
7
id
lowing a minute of silence in public schools for “quiet and private
contemplation or introspection,” U.S. Supreme Court justices have
said they will consider the constitutionality of that law. But, accord
ing to the Constitution, there’s not much to consider.
The Constitution specifically says that state and church are sepa
rate entities. Certainly the debate will center around the exact pur
pose of the minute of silence in the classroom. The obvious way
around the Constitution is to claim the minute of silence is for per
sonal purposes and not necessarily prayer — a tactic the supporters
of the stricken law are now using.
Rev. Carl Mclntire, pastor of the Bible Presbyterian Church in
Collingswood, N.J., spoke God’s truth when he told USA Today,
“This will ultimately lead to a constitutional amendment to allow
school prayer.”
Buying contraceptives
acceptable
shoul
Mclntire followed his proclamation with rhetoric about problems
teenagers face with drugs and sex, and he claimed the reason for the
problems is that the Ten Commandments can’t be put up on school
walls — thus keeping students from praying.
Until now, the issue of school prayer had been laid to rest. The
constitutionality of the issue hasn’t changed, but the thinking of the
U.S. Supreme Court has. If the Supreme Court’s new ultra-conser
vative thinking successfully changes the Constitution, the separation
of public education and personal beliefs doesn’t have a prayer.
When I was 16,
one of my friends
got his girlfriend
pregnant. The girl
was 15 and too
afraid to tell any
one about her
problem. She
waited until the
middle of her sec
ond trimester —
about five months
— to have an abor
tion.
My friend told
girlfriend had never used contracep
tives because they were too embarrassed
to buy them. They opted instead to play
the odds. The girl’s parents, who were
ardently moral people, never found out
about their daughter’s traumatic expo i-
Mike
Sullivan
me that
and
Solving the mystery of financial aid at A&M
A recent issue’
of The Battalion
carried a “Wal
do” cartoon im
plying that qual-
Taft E.
Benson
Guest Columnist
ifying for financial aid — particularly
a student loan — was something of a
mystery. The big question asked by
the cartoon character was “I wonder
how they decide who can get a loan?”
Thousands of similar questions
from students, parents, and some
University faculty and staff members
are received by phone and in person
by the Financial Aid Department reg
ularly.
The recent passage of the Reautho
rization Act and Tax Reform Act have
generated new questions regarding fi
nancial aid and scholarships. A combi
nation of federal laws and regulations
through the U.S. Department of Edu
cation, state regulations, institutional
policies, scholarship donor selection
criteria and Internal Revenue Service
tax laws can indeed cast an aura of
mystery over student financial aid.
The purpose of student financial
aid and need-based scholarships is to
help students obtain adequate funds
to meet the cost of higher education,
regardless of family financial circum
stances. The primary financial re
sponsibility for meeting this cost rests
with the student and family. Need-
based funds provided through finan
cial aid are provided only after the
student and family’s resources have
been considered.
At Texas A&M, the staff of the Stu
dent Financial Aid Department is
committed to carrying out that re
sponsibility in the most friendly, help
ful, efficient and responsible manner.
In fact, we realize that without the stu
dents who need our help, there would
be no need for us to be on campus. We
provide some form of short- or long
term financial help to some 16,000
students in undergraduate, graduate
and professional programs. We pro
vide advice and information to an
other 10,000 students and parents an
nually. Funds provided to students
total more than $50 million annually.
Students are fortunate to have fine
organizations, individuals, private
business and industry and, yes, fed
eral and state governments to provide
this help.
As stewards of a major portion of
this financial support, it is our respon
sibility to see that these funds are used
wisely to help the maximum number
of students today, tomorrow and in
the future. We also are committed to
efficiency and fairness in administer
ing the combinations of programs
available to help students.
Although most of the 16,000 stu
dents follow necessary rules, regula
tions and procedures and receive
funds in a timely and efficient man
ner, some have problems obtaining
help. Sometimes these problems ap
pear mysterious and unfair.
Long-term loans are need-based
and must be applied for through the
Uniform Methodology Need Analysis
System. These loans, including Guar
anteed Student Loans, are a part of a
federal program and are governed by
the rules, regulations and laws of Con
gress and the Education Department.
Banks and insurance companies can
not make a federally subsidized loan
(low interest and payable after grad
uation) unless the Financial Aid Office
certifies that students are eligible.
Students are classified as indepen-,
dent or dependent. If students are
considered independent, only their
own income and assets are considered.
If students are considered dependent,
their parents’ income and assets are
considered as well.
aid offers are made and disbursed;
employment on campus started after
financial aid packages are made and
disbursed; and outside scholarships
awarded after financial aid packages
are made.
A copy of the
prior year’s tax
Another surprise for some students
is that their grades and hours earned
affect their financial aid. Federal reg
ulations require recipients of federal
funds to maintain satisfactory aca
demic progress. That generally means
a 2.0 grade-point ratio and comple
tion of 24 hours per year for under
graduates and a 3.0 GPR and comple
tion of 18 hours per year for graduate
students. Loss of aid results when stu
dents do not meet these standards af
ter a semester of probation.
Recent passage of the Tax Reform
Act has created another mystery in the
minds of students. This Tax Reform
Act of 1986 makes scholarships,
fellowships and grants taxable. It al
lows degree candidates to exclude re
quired tuition and related expenses.
The University will report the total
award on a Form 1099, and the stu
dent will be responsible for justifying
and documenting the allowable ex
penses to be excluded. Scholarships,
grants and
return is the most
commonly used
and reliable
source of data to
verify informa
tion submitted
for both students
and parents. Stu
dents often are
surprised when
financial aid
awards are re
vised, resulting in
loss of funds.
Federal regula-
fellowship
awards made be
fore Aug. 16,
1986 are not tax
able regardless
of when they are
disbursed.
A step-by-step
guide sheet is in
cluded in each
financial aid ap-
plication ob
tained from the
Financial Aid
Department to
help students
tions, state regulations, University pol
icy and donor requirements prohibit
overawards. Overawards are funds
provided through the University that
exceed the student’s demonstrated
need and/or the cost of education.
Because of limited funds and the
large number of students needing fi
nancial assistance, it would be irre
sponsible for funds to be provided to
some students beyond their need
while others go without help.
The most frequent cause of these
overawards and revisions are Univer
sity scholarships, fellowships and
assistantships awarded after financial
understand the process.
I hope these comments will clear up
some of the mystery that prompted
the cartoon recently run in The Bat
talion.
Taft E. Benson is the director of stu
dent financial aid at Texas A&M.
Columns submitted for Farmers Write should be be
tween 700 and 850 words. The editorial staff reserves
the right to edit for grammar, style and length, but will
make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each
column must be signed and must include the major,
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tion will be printed
When I was 19, the same thing hap
pened to another friend. He, too,
bowed to senseless social tension and re
fused to make a purchase that, depend
ing on your beliefs, could have saved a
life or at least a great deal of mental and
physical anguish.
About 4,200 abortions are performed
each day in America, more than 1.5 mil
lion annually.
I am not going to get caught up in a
futile discussion about the morality of
sex and adolecents, abortion or prema
rital sex. However, 1 do have a theory
about the high number of abortions —
which are tragic no matter what your
stance on the issue.
The number of abortions would be
less than half of what it is now if buying
contraceptives wasn’t so embarrassing.
In a country so hypocritically preoccu
pied with morality and wholesomeness,
social pressure effectively keeps com
mon sense from common man.
Unfortunately, minority groups
claiming responsibility for the upkeep
of American moral standards mistake
the embarrassment of buying contra
ceptives as an effective deterrent of
what they believe is immoral sexual ac
tivity. But the embarrassment, which
weighs most heavily on conscientious
adolecents, has yet to prevent anything
but the purchase of the products.
Touting abstinence as a viable solu
tion to the fear of becoming pregna-
nant, the moral minority breeds distress
into the hearts of young people who
might otherwise make a responsible de
cision to protect themselves.
It was disheartening to read in the
Jan. 31 issue of the Houston Chronicle
that conservative groups successfully
are maintaining the shroud
cast over condoms specificallyi'M
tractpt i\«-> gruciallv. A p part “T^>
opponents of t h.mpc hau J *3
the major networks and moakJH
stations that a< b ( a nsint> (Diur
bad taste.
However, most of these same LI
regularh ad\< itise tampons, J luInt
panty liners, sanitary napkins, e
bladdar control products, supptAjQ, (
and ait progi ams that borderpo spoke
phy. all in t li<‘ name of good un- As
of tin sc stations also have begr: inmat
using i ontraceptive productsot i me!l1
condoms — with no qualms akllP^
taste. F< >i the life of me. 1 car -j ^
their distiiu tion, especially when pem-
ering that the surgeon general a Ln
onuncnded sexually atlive pec more
condoms to prevent the spreji'
AIDS. ■
TV is the most powerful mei|| •
America. It dictates such norms A;
ion, lif estyles and, to some exter'H
sonal values. If any mediumotH/
viate the intimidation people ^
teenagers) feel about buying con®'
lives, TV can.
But the people who are even* f
ken about the personal valuesolH
neighbors believe that contrail®
commercials wall single-handed!'!
down the morals of our sodetil
foolishly mistake social tensionfotj
ality.
They mistakenly believe thatsiti
vertising will send a messageotl
lance to the youth of Americaj
such ads will encourage children :
gage in sexual activities. Planned!
thood puts the average age
ual activity at 16.
The kids already are havings&
they need to know that it’s al
protect themselves. Once the
gone, the morality of it all can
tided intelligently and individi
like adults.
(
i
Mike Sullivan is a senior joufi
major and the Opinion
The Battalion.
Mail Call
Join the Army
EDITOR:
In response to the column written by Jo Streit, I would like toofferlic 1 !
and any other graduating journalism major an excellent position. This
position offers a competitive salary, great opportunities for advancemeni
locations worldwide, excellent medical benefits and a career field specM
oriented toward journalism and public relations. Being a graduate of Te7
A&M (a noted military school) is a definite plus in this organization. Witb
some reservations, this offer is also cordially extended to Karl Pallmeyer
For details please call 1-800-USA-ARMY. Be all that you can be.
Maj. Robert L. Welo, Graduate Student
Fresh air
EDITOR:
I would like to congratulate The Battalion’s Opinion Page Editorandt
colleague, Karl Pallmeyer, on their attempts to breathe some life into this
campus. It seems the only time anyone responds to anyt hing is either to
complain or to disagree, whether it is abolishing the Corps, art at A&M(1
never knew there were so many qualified art critics here), or people wanu 1
to sacrifice their bodies by running across Kyle Field during midnightyei
practice. The Opinion Page is for opinions, and if everyone agrees that h
A&M is a unique place, whaf s wrong with someone trying to be unique:
By the way — as Dick Cavett says, “What is a hamburger, chopped ha®
No, it’s chopped steak.”
Jeff Miller ’89
Letters to the editor should not exceed 500 words in length. The editorial staff reserves the rig
- ~ ’ ’ " mustbesr
for style and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each letter
mxist include the classification, address and telephone number of the writer.