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Renovation enhances bookstore
9y JULIE HEDDERMAN
OfThe Battalion Staff
More space for customers, more
ustomer service and an increase in
products are some improvements re
sulting from the renovation of the
Texas A&M Bookstore, the general
jianager says.
Gary Spearow says the bookstore
jpened Jan. 2, but it still is under
[(instruction.
He says there is increased traffic
jnd interest in the renovated store.
"It’s a beautiful store and I think
everybody’s curiosity brought them
out,” he says.
The MSC Bookstore was sold in
June to a private company. Barnes
md Noble, Inc., which bought the
tookstore, also owns B. Dalton
Sooks tores.
Spearow says book prices have not
increased since the renovation and
privatization.
Several items are featured at dis-
iount prices, including highlighters,
ootepads and notebooks.
He says some changes have been
made in the general reading depart
ment. There also are more books in
ihe technical reference and literary
theory areas.
Spearow says the bookstore sent
requests to all faculty members to
find out which books they would like
in the general reading department.
He says he believes this is the best
way to complement students’ needs.
He says the store has received
only good responses since it opened.
“People are pleased with the fact
that it’s easy to negotiate, the light-
A&M official applauds
improved phone system
By TWILA WADDY
Of The Battalion Staff
MSC Bookstore Manager Gary Spearow over
sees increased student flow through the recently
HUY THANH NGUYEN/The Battalion
remodeled facility, which is still under
construction.
ing is good and the product mix is says the bookstore is more organized bookstore looks much better,
new,” Spearow says. and has more space. “It looks more open now,” he says.
Tom Marek, a senior history ma- Matthew Tyson, a senior electrical “You can walk through without
jor who bought books in the MSC, engineering major, says the bumping into everyone.”
While some Texas A&M students
who register by phone still may en
counter some problems, last year’s
increase in the number of phone
lines has improved the registration
system, says A&M Registrar Donald
Carter.
A&M students encountered many
E roblems because only 32 phone
nes were available, but the regis
trar’s office added 64 last year to
cope with the large number of stu
dents calling.
Carter says more problems were
caused by other terminals tied into
the same mainframe computer, be
cause everybody is vying for the
same computer time.
“The more people you have using
the terminals and calling in, the
slower the response time,” he says.
A&M installed the telephone reg
istration system in 1985. Telephone
voice-response communication has
been used for many years in banks
and financial institutions, but uni
versities only began using it a few
years ago, Carter says.
Phone lines were added not only
to increase the capacity of the regis
tration system, but also to install new
programs for students.
“You can call in now and have all
your courses read back to you with
the building and room,” he says.
“Now you are not required to stand
in line and get another schedule.”
The program was added to phone
“Tlie more people
you have using the
terminals and calling
in, the slower the
response time.”
— Donald Carter,
Texas A&M registrar
registration last semester. In the fu
ture, other things will be added to
make registering easier, Carter says.
The fiscal office will make it possi
ble for students to get information
over the phone, including the
amount owed to A&M, Carter says.
Plans also are in the works to give
grades the week after finals over the
phone, but official grades still will be
mailed to students’ permanent ad
dresses. Carter says the program
could be implemented before the
end of the year.
“The registration process has
evolved slowly over the years,” he
says. “At least we think it has evolved
in a positive matter to benefit stu
dents and the faculty.”
More colleges are using telephone
registration, many using A&M’s
phone system as a model.
Despite the added phone lines,
Carter says it still might take a stu
dent an hour or two to access the
registration system. After 10 a.m.,
however, he says students should not
have as much trouble.
“We have the best registration,”
he says. “This is state-of-the-art reg
istration for college campuses.”
Gov. Richards says proposed insurance increases outrageous
AUSTIN (AP) — On her first full
day on the job, Gov. Ann Richards
ripped the insurance industry
Wednesday, describing proposed
automobile premium increases as
“outrageous” and calling for major
reforms in regulation.
Consumer advocates praised
Richards’ appearance before the
State Board of Insurance, while in
surance industry officials said her
recommendations were unfair.
In a related development, Lt.
Gov. Bob Bullock created a new Sen
ate subcommittee on insurance and
appointed as its chairman Sen. Carl
Parker, D-Port Arthur, a frequent
critic of the insurance industry.
“I support Gov. Richards very
much in what she’s trying to do” on
insurance reform, Bullock said.
At the start of the insurance
board’s public hearing on auto rates,
Richards urged regulators to delay a
decision until an independent audit
can determine whether an increase
isjustified. '
The board’s staff has recom
mended a 23.3 percent rate increase,
which would be the largest hike in at
least 32 years. Insurers want a 29.1
percent increase. The state’s_ con
sumer advocate recommended an
11.4 percent boost.
“I want all of you, as the State
Board of Insurance, to fulfill what I
believe is the public mandate to
monitor insurance rates for the pub
lic good,” said Richards, who took
office Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, the recommen
dations before this board today re
garding auto insurance rates, I think
would
jest otherwise than the
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AT YOUR TEXAS A&M BOOKSTORE. WE STAND FOR SERVICE
AND RELIABILITY! COME AND SEE OUR NEW STORE!
$
Store Hours
7:45-6:00 Mon.-Fri,
9:00-5:00 Sat.
sugges
public good,” she said.
Richards also said legislation
would be introduced to establish a
system where the board could collect
independent data on insurance
losses and expenses. Currently, such
information is provided by the in
surance industry.
“Unless we have independent in
formation that is provided in the
public interest we are going to con
tinue to see this business as usual,
and it’s time that it stop,” Richards
said.
“This is a terrific indication on the
part of Gov. Richards that she in
tends to fulfill her promise to
change the way insurance is regu
lated,” John Hildreth, director of
the Southwest office of Consumers
Union, said.
Grab a bite
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Home cookin’ worth going out for. 5
201 E. University
College Station, 260-1092
© Prufrock Restaurants, Inc. 01001