Page 2/The Battalion/Thursday, October 1, 1987
Opinion
Only Ags can end school’s ‘code of silence
I went to see
“Nerds in
Paradise”
Saturday.
Although it wasn’t
a highly
intellectual movie,
there was a
phenomenon
presented that 1
found fascinating
— and applicable
to Texas A&M.
In “Nerds,” the “bad frat daddies”
blindly followed their leader in the
persecution of the “nerd frat daddies.”
The situation is similar across the A&M
campus. Unfortunately, there is a lot of
blind following happening at A&M as
people associated with the University
allow the school to keep a code of
silence.
Texas A&M is a public institution and
should be governed by the public it
serves. This is usually not the case
because the University student public
often follows its leaders faithfully and
blindly.
T hat’s why there have been so many
lawsuits fought to inhibit the release of
information to interested sources.
The University participates in these
lawsuits even with the knowledge that it
has a slim chance of victory. It isn’t
humorous until you realize that the
public, which has the right to the
information, pays to fight its release.
Now, the case of the football
investigation reports.
There is something strange
happening. Too much of the student
body, former students and the general
public are accepting personal privacy as
a legitimate excuse to withhold valuable
information. The court system is not.
The details of the A&M football
investigation will be released, and
rightly so.
It is time for everyone to realize that
this is a public school. It is not, and
should not be, governed by the wishes
of a select few. We, as the public,
demand to be informed about the
working of every other aspect of our
public life, like the government. This
demand has led to the Freedom of
Information Act and the Texas Open
Records Act.
Why do we accept a code of silence
when it comes to our University? The
public and the media should not be
foiled every time they attempt to gain
controversial information. When they
do encounter unnecessary difficulty
they should protest, vigorously. The
media does protest. The largest
interested body, the students, sits back
and calmly lets the administration have
its way.
I’m sure everyone associated with the
University would like to believe that it is
a grand, no-fault institution. I can
assure you, it is not, and this hesitation
to release the requested football
investigation information is proof. Even
if the released information doesn’t
reveal horrible wrongdoing, it does
reveal the administration’s reluctance to
be open with its consumers.
Maybe the biggest question is why the
release of the report was fought if no
rules were violated? If no rules had
been violated, the A&M administration
would have held the report up like a
medal of honor for all of the Southwest
Conference to see. It would be so proud
of its cleanliness that it gladly would
have forsaken Kevin Murray’s privacy.
It is a rare happening when good news
is not proclaimed.
The editorial board of The Battalion
pointed out that the University should
not “thumb its nose at the law.” I say it is
more important for the University not
to thumb its nose at those who support
it. The insult is complete. The
consumers and supporters of the
University don’t have the right, in the
administration’s eyes, to receive
information about the activities of the
University.
It’s time to demand a policy of
openness f rom this institution.
I know it is hard to accept criticismo(
an institution we all love so well. 1 expec
to be told that Highway 6 runs both
ways. I expect to be called a two-
percenter. I also expect someone to
seriously consider what has been said
and realize that treating the problem
with “traditional cliches” will not makeii
go away. We have a right to know what
is going on in Aggieland. The law gives
us the right. We must fight to makeuse
of the right.
D. A. Jensen is a senior journalism
major and a columnist for The
Battalion.
Mail Call
Unfair publicity
EDITOR:
I believe that the photo on the cover of the Sept. 29 issue of The Battalion
was unfair publicity. The Battalion at least should have included the other
eight candidate’s names. If Heather Glenn wins, I think that it will have been
because of the picture. Hopefully in future elections this type of publicity will
be equal for all of the candidates.
Janice Steffes ’91
A column or self-parody?
EDITOR:
In regards to Brian Frederick’s Sept. 22 column about “scrapping” the
public school system: Huh?
I don’t know how to start criticizing a column that borders on self-parody!
Does Mr. Frederick honestly believe that we are oppressing our
grandparents by sending our children to public schools?!
Does he honestly believe that when property taxes are reduced, slumlords
will lower the rent on their properties enough so that poorer families will be
able to afford private schools?!
Does he honestly believe a return to the 18th century — when the truly
poor had to rely on handouts for their education and when separate was
considered equal —would be better than what we have now?
Come to think of it though, maybe Mr. Frederick has a point. Apparently
our public schools are failing to teach our children even basic reasoning skills.
After all Mr. Frederick is a product of our public school system.
Jerry Rosiek ’87
Best education isn't private
EDITOR:
I would like to respond to the Sept. 22 column by Brian Frederick on the
public school. Brian’s idea of scrapping the public schools seems sound at
first, but, like many people, Brian has made an unreasonable proposal based
on a lack of in-depth knowledge of the public education system. His attitude
is the same that has swept across Texas in the past decade: Everyone believes
he knows what is best for education.
The problem Brian has is his assumption that parents will select the best
education for their kids, if any at all. He said that those who didn’t provide
their children with an education would hardly exceed the current dropout
rate. Even if it is equal, Brian doesn’t think having 500,000 students drop out
of school in Texas each year is a major problem. What does he propose to do
with half a million new illiterate people in Texas each year? And the idea that
parents will select the best schools for their children is preposterous. Most
parents will be looking for a cheap education for their kids.
Making schools compete for students isn’t a bad idea —competition is
what made this country great — but under Brian’s proposal it could only hurt
education. Most of the students want to to go schools that are easy and fun.
Since the number of students dictates how much money a school has to
operate, the schools will want as many students as possible at the expense of
quality.
Another problem is that he assumes the poor will be helped by the rich in
getting an education. Our society now does not always help the poor when
they need it. Does Brian expect this to change in the future? A free education
is the only guarantee the poor have, and now Brian proposes to take that
away from them.
There are many more fallacies in Brian’s proposals, too many to go into
now. The problems of Texas education are a result of people who do not
fully understand the dynamics of public education. If the Texas Legislature
would work with the professional educators of this state instead of against
them, then things would improve drastically. Some people might say we
cannot trust teachers to do what is best, but if we can’t trust those who are in
the trenches, then education is a lost cause.
Kent Morrison ’89
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 classification, address and telephone number of the writer.
The Battalion
(USPS 045 360)
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
The Battalion Editorial Board
Sondra Pickard, Editor
John Jarvis, Managing Editor
Sue Krenek, Opinion Page Editor
Rodney Rather, City Editor
Robbyn Lister, News Editor
Loyd Brumfield, Sports Editor
Tracy Staton, Photo Editor
Editorial Policy
The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper oper
ated as a community service to Texas A&M and Bryan-College Sta
tion.
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editorial
board or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions
of Texas A&M administrators, faculty or the Board of Regents.
The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students
in reporting, editing and photography classes within the Depart
ment of Journalism.
The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during
Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holiday and examination
periods.
Mail subscriptions are $17.44 per semester, $34.62 per school
year and $36.44 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on re
quest.
Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M
University, College Station, TX 77843-4111.
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 216
Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station TX
77843-4111.
Campus center provides career,
personal counseling for students
Whenever an
article is published
about the Student
Counseling
Service, whenever
our services are
advertised or
whenever an SCS
staff member gives
mixed emotions.
Kerry
Hope
Guest Columnist
a speech, I have
On one hand, I’m glad that more
students will be aware of the Student
Counseling Service. On the other hand,
I know this increased awareness means
that more students will request services
— and we are understaffed even to
meet current demands. This guest
column is written to let you know about
your counseling center, how to access
our services and what happens when the
demand outstrips our resources.
The Student Counseling Service
(SCS) provides academic skills
development, career counseling, choice
of major counseling, personal
counseling, and daytime emergency
counseling. We usually work on an
appointment basis, but if you are in a
crisis, a counselor is available from 8
a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays without an
appointment.
When you call or come by the third
floor of the YMCA Building to make an
appointment, a receptionist will ask if
you are a currently enrolled student
who has paid a student service fee. She
will ask you the general area (like those
listed above) in which you want
counseling. She’s not being nosy — she
just needs to know what type of
appointment to schedule.
In the academic or career area, you
are likely to begin with some testing or a
workshop, and then have a one-on-one
counseling session if you need further
assistance.
In the personal counseling area, the
receptionist will set up with an “intake”
appointment with one of our counselors
and have you listen to a 5-minute tape
about counseling and our services. You
generally can get in for an intake within
a week or two of when you call to make
your appointment.
During the 50-minute “intake,” you
will talk with the counselor about your
concerns, and then the intake counselor
will come up with a plan for further
services. Often this plan includes
individual or group counseling at the
SCS. Some students have to be referred
elsewhere if their issues are not
appropriate for the services available at
the SCS. Some students don’t need any
further services beyond this “intake”
session.
Sometimes whether or notongoing
counseling beyond the “intake” will be
available at the SCS depends on the
number of student requests duringthat
time of the semester. Often we areona
waiting list for ongoing counseling form
two to six weeks long. If you don’t want
to have to wait for more counseling,
your intake counselor can make a
referral for you to another agency or
mental health professional.
We have never been on a waiting list
for academic or career services. When
we’re on a waiting list for personal
counseling there are always, of course,
emergency services available at the A.P
Beutel Health Center.
The American Psychological
Association Accreditation Report stated
that “the fact that this is such a strong,
excellent program is, at present, one of
the best-kept secrets in the country.”
have a quality staff that is concerned
about Aggies and their educational and
emot ional development. I hope this
guest column will help you or a friend
know how to ask for help, and to know
that we’re here and that we care.
Kerry Hope Ph.D. is the associate
director of Texas A Sc M’s Student
Counseling Service.
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