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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 20, 1990)
Tuesday, November 20, 1990 The Battalion •OPINION* 2 Opinion Page Editor Ellen Hobbs 845-33 Graduate Student Council doesn’t support tuition hike There has been a flood of rumors, accusations and misinformation on this issue of a graduate school tuition increase during the past few weeks. Let’s just look at a few facts. One question asked in a Nov. 12 Reader’s Opinion was, “Who are these people?” referring to the Graduate Student Council. The GSC is a student organization made of up representatives from all of the colleges with graduate and professional programs on campus. More specifically, there are seats alloted to each college, and these seats are supposed to be filled during campus elections in the spring semesters. Seats not filled at election time become at- large seats open to any interested graduate students. At the present, nearly every college is represented on that council. One catch to this whole representation business is that those representatives you elect in the spring Dan Vrudny Reader's Opinion must be active in the organization or the opinion of your college will not be heard. Did you elect your representative last spring? If your college is not represented, it is because nobody was interested enough to run for the position. There is one more little snag to being a member of GSC. The Council doesn’t have only one issue to work on. Members are required to work on several issues and committees. If all we did was work on one single issue, we would be doing a great disservice to the graduate students. If you are concerned about input to this body, where have you been? The Grad Rag is published and distributed iMail Call I The cartoonists get an ego boost EDITOR: For as long as I’ve been here, people have written letters complaining about The Battalion cartoons and cartoonists. The complaints usually range from “the cartoons aren’t funny” to “no one likes them so get rid of them.” By far the most common cry is by those who feel they’ve been unduly singled out for ridicule by the uncaring comic creators, and this grievance was most re cently put forth in a letter by Michael Kellet. Michael is sad because he feels “Adventures In Cartooning” is lampooning “every single student body orga nization on campus.” He feels Don Atkinson is needlessly stirring up the masses and is “serving no purpose” writing his caustic comic strip. First, I would like to point out to those who don’t like the strips that they have the option to STOP READING THEM. It seems like the biggest com- plainers never miss a day. Next, I feel the authors are doing a good job of taking things from our staid learning environment and making us see them in a humorous light. Sure, they poke fun at people, but it’s to make them laugh, not offend them. Some people are just insulted too easily. This form of funniness is definitely an acceptable one, and just as I rarely agree with the politics of “Doonesbury,” I still must agree that it is funny. I would just like to thank Don Atkinson Jr., Boomer Cardinale, Matt Kowalski, Tom Madison and the venerable Scott McCullar for filling my af ternoons with humor. I think y’all are doing a great job. Stephen Pace ’91 accompanied by two signatures In defense of “Adventures in Cartooning” EDITOR: I am writing to praise Don Atkinson’s “Adventures In Cartooning.” I have enjoyed Don Atkinson’s comic strip a great deal, and I am sad he receives so much criticism for it. His cartooning reminds me, in a way, of sit ting on a bench and watching the people go by. During my first four years at A&M I was a member of the Corps of Ca dets, and I especially enjoyed Mr. Atkinson’s occasional jabs at the Corps. His cartoons do not strike me as being malicious, nor do they strike me as inflam matory. In regard to Mr. Atkinson’s “erratic” opinions, I think they are for givable. It is understandable to be critical of someone who espouses an argua ble point and, when given the opportunity, completely lacks reason or evidence to support that point. It is, however, not fair to criticize someone whose opinions are expressed in a format that is in no way conducive to any form of reasoned discussion. Mr. Atkinson is simply poking a little fun. I can’t wait to see what he does with Elephant Walk! Joe Gourlay ’90 And Don’s head just keeps getting bigger... EDITOR: In response to Michael Kellet’s apparent disgust at Don Atkinson’s “out landish assualt on every faction of the student body at Texas A&M,” I’d also like to take advantage of the reader’s opinion page. “Adventures In Cartooning,” as best as I can determine, is a humorous, if rather pointed look at the University. Atkinson isn’t out to undermine the stu dent body (we do that well enough on our own). Instead he shows us just how seriously we take ourselves and how funny our narcissism is...or isn’t. I’m biased. I thoroughly enjoy Atkinson’s humor. But if I find something offensive, I stop reading, and that, Mr. Kellet, is what you should do rather than whining on the opinion page. Janna Casstevens graduate student The Battalion (USPS 045 360) Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board Cindy McMillian, Editor Timm Doolen, Managing Editor Ellen Hobbs, Opinion Page Editor Holly Becka, City Editor Kathy Cox, Kristin North, News Editors Nadja Sabawala, Sports Editor Eric Roalson, Art Director Lisa Ann Robertson, Lifestyles Editor Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-sup porting newspaper operated as a commu nity service to Texas A&M and Bryan- Colle^e Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editorial board or the au thor, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, faculty or the Board of Regents. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regu lar semesters, except for holiday and ex amination periods. Newsroom: 845-3313. Mail subscriptions are $20 per semes ter, $40 per school year and $50 per full year: 845-2611. Advertising rates fur nished on request: 845-2696. Our address: The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, Col lege Station, TX 77843-1111. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station TX 77843-4111. twice a semester as well as during the summer. Each issue requests student input, gives the address of the Office of Graduate Students and gives a list of current members, their phone numbers and the colleges they represent. We haven’t heard from many of you who may be speculating on what our thoughts and motives are. The Nov. 12 opinion also said, “A plan to double graduate student tuition has been formulated, and we should be concerned about its implications.” I am not sure if this student has seen the plan, but we haven’t. A University committee was charged to look into the need or possiblity. Questionnaires were sent to the colleges, information was collected and a report was sent to the president. Is that the plan referred to? The opinion also stated that “The administration has made no attempt to solicit graduate student’s feedback for this tuition increase.” Graduate students are represented on several committees through which this type of information travels. Again, we have seen no plans for an increase, and we do have input. The GSC has communicated to the administration that we don’t believe there is sufficient cause or reason for a tuition increase. The GSC continues to communicate with the adminstradon on this issue and will continue to pursue it and attempt to prevent any increase in tuition. If we can’t prevent an increase, we will work to see that it is as small as possible and that the graduate students are the beneficiaries. The petition referred to in several letters appearing in The Battalion is well within the rights of students on this campus. However, prior to that petition and based on experience, the Council took the position that a petition was not an appropriate approach to this issue. The administration knows very well that students don’t want an increase in tuition. Our lack of support for this petition has nothing to do with whetl: or not we support a tuition increased! with the fact that we thought it wasan inappropriate approach. The reason: our lack of support was that the only communique we saw requesting our signature misrepresented our organization and the administratiomi Texas A&M. That is all. If you are interested in working on campus issues (note it’s plural) then please let us hear from you because#; are always interested in active menil on the Council. If you are interested; only one issue, please let us hear from you as well. We will take your viewsa; ideas into consideration. If we don’t hear from you, please don’t guessak what we are doing. Those rumors art not going to benefit anyone. Dan Vrudny is president of the Graduate Student Council and a graduate student in industrial educatw <g>Ff?0TflE RECOUP NEW 0EF6eY WTMM TETERMS MlMEMWMU r-'Kiim y'uit • n»TTvr rwm lanr Kw- mni u.ui.vr utii • i.ijjc iitfLlMJ ra -itm m wnfo M tviw • i'mjli'm * m aw • iwtr rwrr- wjrm n iw m• m iivir iatv? • m\i rw -ioti m ' Will' nw • wjSiJMWSti.'i'Mn nw:i i’.ijiu • etui • rw.trtvi vr.n ■ i!»mw',>t.v.!4 nv,. t'jv.i r»f?n,-"Tvmwri .* m evil < iw i'M • nvi i>»r, Hvirnw. Base happiness on more thancareei Do you ever just wonder why? Though columnists always write as if they know more than everybody in the world combined, I’ll be the first to admit I have a lot of questions in need of answers. One of those questions concerns the life we lead. Sometimes I see life as a big flowing river which drags everybody along with it. Some are swimming as fast as they can trying to get ahead of everybody else. Some are trying to keep their heads above the water but are constantly being dragged into the depths. Then there are some who don’t want to endure the torrent of the river. They would prefer to sit on the bank. But where does the river lead? Nowhere, the river flows in a circle. The people who swim the fastest succeed in passing the others, but they are still in the same place. Once we all graduate from Texas A&M, we are going to have to jump into that river. At what pace are we going to swim? Do we want that high pressure job at the famous engineering company or the accounting firm? Is it worth pulling in 35 grand yet kill yourself emotionally and physically in the process? Never underestimate the destructiveness of stress on the psyche of a human. Nothing can kill a person Andrew Matthews Columnist easier. I hear these stories about young adults or families where each spouse works about 50 hours a week. They come home exhausted and don’t spend quality time together. Then they have children, who either get sent to day care or become latch-key kids. They are strangers to their busy parents. Yet, do you ever feel that society is in a conspiracy to force everyone to choose a career that is prestigious and gruelling? I would get laughed at if I told people that with my economics and finance knowledge I would choose to be a sailor on a boat, or perhaps a truck driver. No, instead, I have to do the sensible thing and get my MBA or law degree and be a respectable high-income earning professional. I could make more money, but how do you get satisfaction out of defending corporations in lawsuits or helping companies earn a higher earnings pet share ratio? Take care, I am not saying that all professional careers are despicable. If you love your work, then no one can fault you. We are all trying to find a career from which we will accrue not just pecuniary rewards but also a feelffi of job satisfaction. We would all grow weary of our jobs if we only worked for a paycheck. Thanksgiving is the time to think about such things. When we return to our family, we start reappraising our priorities. Those books in the suitcase just don’t seem as important anymore, can never study when I see my family always feel selfish w hen I study at homt When I do graduate though, I’m pretty sure I’ll end up as a white-collar professional. I owe too much moneyto go out and play in the flowers all day. And besides what girl wants to marry guy without fininacial security? The net result of these musingsistk a balance must be met in all we do. Surt we need to work, but let’s not let it rule us. There is so much more to live for than what happens between nine and five. Andrew Matthews is a senior economics major. Adventures In Cartooning by Don Atkinson it ( VWftfS 60