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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 15, 1988)
Friday, July 15, 1988/The Battalion/Page 3 State and Local tudents still dislike ELI system By Loyd Brumfield Senior Staff Writer Changes in Texas A&M’s English iguage proficiency system that go ito effect next fall haven’t quelled Ime international students’ disdain for the language program. ■ All international students enter- ■g A&M have to take the English Language Proficiency Examination I audition to the Test of English as a Foreign Language Exam required ol most international students in the Buntry. I Under the old policy, if a student failed any section of the ELPE, he jid to take courses in A&M’s En- |ish Language Institute. The ELI is a self-sufficient sub mit of the Department of Modern languages that provides courses for iternational students taught by Ion-tenure track faculty. I Costs for the courses have ranged from $400-$ 1300, depending upon lie number of courses taken. ■ However, a new policy designed 1st semester will be implemented lis fall to offer foreign graduate Budents more flexiblity within the System. /pome Texans to file taxes by computer AUSTIN (AP) — Electronic fil ing of income tax returns, used for about 600,000 forms in a few states this year, will be greatly ex panded in 1989 and available for the first time in Austin, said the Internal Revenue Service. I The electronic filing is being [extended to 36 states including [Texas next year. IRS officials say [electronic filing should speed up [refunds by up to three weeks, [provide for direct deposit of re- | funds to bank accounts, reduce I processing errors and save the I IRS $200 million over the next 10 'Mff u years. Under the new policy, which was reported in detail in the July 6th is sue of The Battalion, students will individually be assigned to an ad viser through their college or de partment before taking the ELPE. If a student fails the ELPE, he will be referred back to his adviser for additional counseling, which may or may not include ELI coursework, depending upon each individual stu dent’s circumstances. Some students said they feel the changes aren’t enough, but agree that they are a step in the right direc tion. “They (the changes) seem to be okay, but there are basically no changes,” said Naynesh Desai, an in dustrial engineering graduate stu dent from India. “To me it seems like the only change is whether you take the ELPE now or later,” he said. “At least now you are assigned a major adviser though.” Desai, who has a master’s degree in industrial engineering from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, said he didn’t expect the ELPE to be so formidable. “I already had a master’s degree elsewhere so I thought I could pass easily, but I ended up getting a 65 on the composition part of the exam,” he said. “I sat there for five or six minutes during the composition just wonder ing what to write,” he said. “I had no frame of reference or anything.” Desai said he made an 85 on the overall exam, but had to take an ELI course in English composition in the 1985 spring semester because of his below-/0 grade on the composition section of the ELPE. He said the course cost around $450. “I also took six hours of regular University coursework, and they cost less,” he said. “I didn’t improve at all after that class. I didn’t learn anything,” Desai said. Gyu-Sang Jeong, president of the Korean Students’ Association, also had mixed feelings about the changes. “It’s better than the old policy, but it still needs modification,” he said. Jeong took ELI courses in oral English and composition in 1986 and paid about $600 for them, he said. “In the future, the concepts should be different or spelled out more clearly,” he said. “They (ELI) need to give incentives to students.” Desai said failing a section of the ELPE can be quite disheartening. “You try to get an assistantship and then you find out you failed part of the exam,” he said. “There’s no way you’ll get an assistantship that way.” Desai said he still has hope for the ELL “I expect more students to get through the program if they (ELI) slack-off,” he said. “Back when I took the exam I didn’t have anyone to talk to about it. At least now advis ers will be available. “Still, though, an adviser is going to be too busy to give individual and equal treatment to everybody. “It’s a step ahead. At least they know they need changes.” Aggie rings taken from alumni center By Stephen Masters Staff Writer Seven Aggie rings, including one donated by Gen. J. Earl Rudder, Class of ’32, were removed from the Clayton Williams Alumni Center some time between 9:30 p.m. July 6 and about 8 a.m. July 7, Bob Wiatt, director of the University Police, said. No police report had been filed with the University Police Depart ment 3:30 p.m. Thursday, but Wiatt said there are “a few” suspects. Ray Martin, facilities manager for the center, said a custodial worker heard glass breaking around 6:30 a.m. Thursday. The rings were discovered miss ing at the center less than two hours later. Wiatt said the rings were valued near $6,000. An anonymous caller told The Battalion Wednesday that the alarm system had never been connected. Martin confirmed that the alarm Bentsen: Dropping out of Senate race would relinquish seat to Republicans AUSTIN (AP) — State law allows Lloyd Bentsen to appear on the Texas ballot as a candidate for both vice president and re-election to the Senate, giving him a chance to pro tect his Senate seat from the Repub licans at least for the time being. “I can’t get off the ticket in Texas. That’s the way the law is written,” Democrat Bentsen says. “If I was to step off the ticket, that would forfeit it to the Republican challenger, and I can’t do that.” Bentsen’s bid for a fourth Senate term is being challenged by Republi can Rep. Beau Boulter, a two-term conservative from Amarillo, who has been fighting an uphill battle in the race. Boulter is making as much as he See related story, page 8 can of Bentsen’s dual candidacy, de claring, “It’s wrong. It’s unethical. And it’s going to raise questions throughout this campaign.” Michael Dukakis, the expected Democratic presidential nominee, picked Bentsen on Tuesday to be his running mate. That put Bentsen in a two-race campaign that’s allowed under a 1959 state law written for then-Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson, who wanted it so he could run for both re-election and the White House. His presi dential bid failed, but he became John Kennedy’s vice president and later became president after Ken nedy was assassinated. Texas Secretary of State Jack Rains, the state’s chief election offi cer, says withdrawal by Bentsen now would give the Senate race to Re publican Boulter.Bentsen could re move his name from the Senate bal lot before Sept. 6, but the Democrats could not replace him. If Bentsen wins both elections, he would have to choose one post or the other.If he gave up his Senate seat, as expected, Republican Gov. Bill Clements would name an interim senator and then call a special elec tion to pick someone to complete the six-year term. The special election. Rains said, would be a “Florida scramble. Every one just goes out and tees it up.” In terest is already high and rising. On Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby said he would “certainly seriously consider” running if such a special election takes place. On Wednesday, state Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower said, “I am, like every other person of vot ing age in Texas, considering mak ing the Senate race.’’Hightower al ready had been looking at a 1990 race against Republican Sen. Phil Gramm. The 1961 special election to re place Johnson in the Senate drew more than 70 candidates. Republi can John Tower won. system in the center had “not been activated.” Wiatt said the rings were kept in “various wall and floor cases” locked in the Glitsh library. Martin said there were no signs of forced entry. A party was given in the center as a part of student conferences for in coming freshmen and their parents from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. July 7, he said. “It is possible that someone hid in here all night and then broke the cases and took the rings,” he said. Several clear, defined fingerprints were found, Martin said. Plans are being carried out to fin gerprint all employees of the center, custodial services and food services, he said. But Martin pointed out that the fingerprinting is being used to clear people, not to incriminate them. The only connection between the rings is that they all had diamonds, Martin said. In addition to Rudder’s ring, rings donated by James Moore, Class of ’26, William R. Taylor, Class of ’39, R.L. Fambro, Class ’47, James Uptmore, Class of ’53, Charles Ja- meler, Class of’65, and Jere Swatzell Class of’79, were taken, he said. Senior rings at A&M have had the same pattern since 1947, so replicas of four of the rings can be made, Martin said. Rings prior to 1947 cannot be re produced, he said, but others have offered to donate rings with the same years as those missing. Although replacement is possible, Martin said the rings have a large sentimental value to the center. “These rings are worth more to us than anybody,” he said. “They have far more sentimental value than any monetary value that could be at tached. “We view this act as comparable to grave robbery. It’s as heinous a crime as is possible.” Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the rings is urged to contact the UPD or the center. gradual nance winst e Me tided tmenti ts h iheCk ? Thei isked. igir usa :. 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