The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, February 07, 1991, Image 3
State and local ^IS^jjhursday, February 7, 1991 75 Co-ed dorms SSHousing Office proposes ^ residence hall conversion war shout ppen require on?" By Karen Praslicka Of The Battalion Staff is a kinder, An increase of women’s on-cam- Jrnment pus rooms this fall has prompted a t. Wehadl®r<)p o sal by Texas A&M’s Housing it. Ironica!^“ ce to convert Clements Hall into iussein ao'ed residence hall. ■John T. White, A&M assistant di ll l- ♦ r f$ ctor housing, proposed the con- oadctoGoiiKi-sion because the number of men upporteacand women applicants for on-cam- ( out for pus housing has started to even out. l|y / wearf In the past, there have been more 'eacecant> > T ) T 7!f n npphcants. [fallthk White says he also made the pro- “'““Misal because of results from a sur- appeartolBy which stated 74 percent of the mall’s residents supported Clements’ ■inversion. l e studentii I “I know the residents of Clements ■re excited about it,” White says. K; White says he is trying to create a Bilance between men and women ■ w, on-campus rooms by converting Bpowler Hall into an all-men’s dormi- vjtory and making Clements co-ed. ■ Clements’ conversion would cre- ate 116 men’s spaces. Changing Mpowler Hall would provide 282 addi- »8 tetteiTk’ spaces for men. utMtet&fli! Reopenings of Spence and Briggs p halls will create 440 more women’s spaces, although White says he does ot expect the rooms to be filled. White says if the proposal is ap- roved by A&M President William fobley, the changes could be imple- nented in the fall. White says he does not expect nyone living in Clements to move ecause of the change, but the op- ion to relocate \s available. ight: It is mi tfm rit “We will give people priority of moving out of Clements and moving into other mods if they want to, if they don’t want to live in a co-ed,” White says. Cynthia Brasted, president of Clements Hall, and Donna Chaney, resident director of the hall, were against the proposal when they first heard about it. Both, however, now support the idea. Brasted says she was concerned about a lack of security and how the hall would change if men were al lowed to live there. “But now I’m starting to get ex cited about it,” Brasted says. Chaney says most Clements resi dents support the measure. A large concern about co-ed dorms has been the 24-hour visita tion policy. Chaney says, however, residents of Eppright and Wells halls — two co-ed dorms that have 24-hour Visi tation — approve of the extended visitation rights. Kristi Peterson, president of Ep pright Hall, says Eppright residents have not had any problems with the policy. Bobby Barrett, president of Wells Hall, also says she sees the 24-hour visitation policy as a privilege. She says she also has not heard any com plaints from Wells residents. Both Peterson and Barrett say they expect residents to keep the 24- hour visitation policy for another se mester. The Battalion DARRIN HILL/The Battalion Jeff Gibbs, a sophomore biology major, grins and bares it as Candy Gonzolez takes a pint of blood for the Red Cross Blood Drive on Wednesday afternoon. Campus groups adhere to federal gender guidelines By Bridget Harrow Of The Battalion Staff Few of the more than 600 student organizations recognized by Texas A&M restrict membership to persons of one sex, says Dr. Carolyn Adair, director of student activities. Any student organization that wants official recog nition from the University has to comply with Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1974, which states that organizations must provide equal opportunity for full participation by either sex and must not discriminate on the basis of sex in any area of activity or mem bership in the organization. Adair says student organizations at A&M have to fill out a signature card that states they are in compli ance with federal laws. “Every student organization that requests official recognition has to fill out signature cards and has to renew the card every year,” she says. Adair says some organizations are exempted from the federal law. They include: • social organizations such as fraternities or sorori ties; • sports groups with the stipulation that there are teams for both men and women; • honorary and professional organizations that base membership on grades or choice of profession; • vocal music groups trying to achieve an all-male or all-female sound. Concerns were raised about single-sex organiza tions at A&M after the University of Texas at Austin administration ruled last week that 29 of its student spirit and service organizations were in violation of federal laws since their memberships were not open to the opposite sex. The UT administration said organizations that do not open membership to both sexes will have to move off campus or become only social organizations. See Gender/Page 11 rirthday. I Temtjfe st lots of lowing I Richards calls for lottery, government reform sed by a e slowed over and my aid. /ould be i phone, id to say true ex- AUSTIN (AP) — Gov. Ann Richards, aying out a blueprint for the “New Texas” She promised voters, Wednesday called for ronsumer-oriented insurance reform, the :reation of a lottery and consolidating some of the 250-plus government agencies. ! In her first State of the State address, the governor told the Legislature that she [would follow through on her campaign pledges to make government more accessi- “We’re going to be progressive in this ad ministration,” Richards said. “ ... In a New Texas, there will be no doubt in people’s minds that this government is here to serve the people.” “We will not sit back and let crisis over whelm us,” she vowed. “We’ve gotten in the habit of responding to problems about the time we’re startled by the bright lights of looming catastrophe. As many a Texas ar madillo has learned, that’s too late to leap.” The strongest action Richards urged was immediate overhaul of state insurance reg ulation, which brought a standing ovation from lawmakers and spectators who filled the House chamber. She demanded that State Board of Insur ance members James Saxton and Dick Rey nolds resign by Feb. 15. A governor can’t force resignations of board members, who serve six-year terms. A third member’s term has expired, and Richards already named a replacement. If the Insurance Board won’t change to guard consumers’ interests, Richards said she wants conservatorship of the regulatory body under a special three-member panel appointed by her. “Texas consumers are fed up with an in surance mess that results in higher rates, cancelled policies and unaccountable ad ministrators,” Richards said. She said that by failing to institute an early warning system to identify and mon itor fiscally troubled insurance companies, the Insurance Board was guilty of “gross fiscal mismanagement.” Richards said the rest of state govern ment needs to become leaner and more ef ficient. To achieve that, she proposed con solidating many of the more than 250 agencies. “Taxpayers are weary, and with good reason,” she said. “They have long com- E lained about a state government that is too irge, unwieldy and expensive. They see an enormous bureaucracy whose only pur pose, it seems, is self-perpetuation.” Among those recommendations, Rich ards called for consolidating the 28 agen cies that license various occupations; com bining the Texas Housing Agency and Department of Community Affairs; and merging the Texas Public Finance Author ity and the Bond Review Board. Richards said performance audits autho rized by a new law would be used to find more areas for consolidation. The governor renewed her push for the creation of a state lottery that experts say could raise $731 million in its first year. Referring to lottery opponents, Richards said citizens want the gambling games and the government could use the money. “Public opinion polls show that as many as four out of five Texans want a lottery,” the governor said. “We should be listening to the people instead of telling them what to do.” '88 and d forces fern also the war it is that : allows dlitary? ces; it's during dw) it is hatrea- ht. 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