State & Local Page 2 The Battalion Thursday, Augi The Battalion (USPS 045 360) Member of: Associated Press Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Texas Daily Newspaper Association Texas Intercollegiate Press Association The Battalion Editorial Board Editor Timm Doolen Managing Editor Todd Stone City Editor Sean Frerking News Editors Jennifer Jeffus Callie Wilcher Art Director Richard James Lifestyles Editor Rob Newberry Sports Editor Jayme Blaschke Opinion Editor Keith Sartin Editorial Policy The Battalion is published da ily except Saturday, Sunday, holi days, exam periods and when school is not in session during fall and spring semesters. Publication is Tuesday through Friday dur ing the summer sessions. The newsroom phone number is 845- 3316. The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper oper ated as a community service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. The Battalion news depart ment is managed by students at Texas A&M -University and is a division of Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Jour nalism. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the edito rial board or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Texas A&M stu dent body, administrators, faculty or the A&M Board of Regents. Comments, questions or com plaints about any of the editorial content of the newspaper should be directed to the managing edi tor at 845-3313. Subscriptions Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50 per full year: 845-2611. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station TX 77843-1 111. Second class postage paid at Col lege Station, TX 77843. Location: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1111. Campus mail stop: 1111. Advertising Advertising information can be obtained from the advertising de partment at 845-2696 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by visiting the office at the En glish Annex. Advertising Manager Patricia Heck Battalion Adviser Robert Wegener Production Manager Paige Force BATTIPS The Battalion encourages its readers to contribute story ideas and suggestions by call ing BATTIPS, The Battal ion's phone line designed to improve communication be tween the newspaper and its readers. The BATTIPS number is 845-3315. Ideas can include news sto ries, feature ideas and person ality profiles of interesting people. Readers also are en- • couraged to offer any other suggestions that could im prove the newspaper. UT regent wants fees to double Deputy commandant of Corps retiresg By Tammy Bryson The Battalion AUSTIN (AP) — A University of Texas System regent has backed a plan to double tuition at state universities. The Daily Texan reported. W.A. 'Tex" Moncrief said Monday that the state should come closer to charging students at UT and Texas A&M what it costs to teach them. University officials have de nounced proposals by State Comptroller John Sharp and leg islative leaders to double tuition and cut the state's higher educa tion budget. The House Appropriations Committee, seeking to write a state budget around a projected $4.8 billion shortfall in revenue, voted Sunday to slash $500 mil lion from college and university allocations. But in a letter to Sharp, Mon crief wrote: “Texas A&M and Texas universities are good uni versities, pretty good nationally — but they are not world class universities. “They could be made so with the aid of tw T o things. The tuition at College Station and Austin does need to be doubled — prob ably even more than that," he said. The other needed change is raising academic entrance re quirements for prospective stu dents, Moncrief ^aid. The Higher Education Coordi nating Board estimates that it costs the state $128 per semester hour to educate a student. Non resident undergraduates pay the full amount, while residents pay $20 per semester hour. During his four years as dep uty commandant of Texas A&M's Corps of Cadets and head of the Department of Aero space studies. Col. George B. Stokes has seen significant changes in the Corps and the University — and he says it's all for the better. Col. Stokes, who is being awarded with the Air Force Le gion of Merit at his retirement ceremony today, says he has seen the University change and grow over the years. "There of course have been physical changes — with all of the expansion and building, but there nave also been significant changes in the Corps," he says. Stokes says the Corps is more professional than it was when he came here. "They look better and they perform better," he says. "Grades have also come up con siderably in the past four years." Stokes says he believes Gen. Thomas G. Darling, com mandant of the Corps of Cadets, has been instru- mental in bringing these improve ments, which will continue in the future. "There are still things to be done, but we are going in the right di rection," he says. Stokes, re tiring after 28 years of mili tary service, says he will SCOTT 0. WEAVER/The Battalion Col. George Stokes will receive the Air Force Legion of Merit award. stay involved in the Corps and the local community through the Corps Develpoment Council and local community organizations. "Tm staying right here," he says. "I have strong ties in the lo cal area through such groups as the Rotary Club, so Tm not going any where." Stokes says he loves his job and the only bad part of it was hav ing to tell stu- dents they had to leave the Corps be- cause of grades or dis- c i p 1 i n a r y problems. "It is hard to discipline somone when it will mean they will lose out on a chance to do something they really "The Corps is it is hard to take want," he says such a benefit — it away from somone who wants it." Comptroller saves trees, practices waste management VICTORIA (AP) — Texas Comptroller John Sharp is a man who practices what he preaches when it comes to stationery. Sharp has been urging state agencies to cut their expenses drastically as the Texas Legis lature wrestles with a $4.8 billion budget deficit. So when Sharp took office, what did he do with an esti mated 2 million pieces of his pre decessor's stationery, envelopes and brochures valued at about $50,000? The stationery now has three black lines printed through for mer Comptroller Bob Bullock's name with Sharp's name stamped directly above. State senator blasts budget; Speaker Lewis defends plan AUSTIN (AP) — A state senator blasted a House budget proposal as “irresponsible" Wednesday. But Speaker Gib Lewis defended the spending plan, which has been called the cheapest expected this session. “They did about half of what we needed in the way of prisons, and they slashed education, which holds the greatest hope for economic de velopment and growth and avoidance of the need for so many prisons. It makes no sense to tor so many prisons. It makes no sense to me," said Sen. Carl Parker, Education Commit tee chairman. “The first word that pops in my mind when I see something like that is 'irresponsible.' And it is a budget that shows no leadership/' said Par ker, D-Port Arthur. Lewis said he supports the plan, which may be considered Sunday by the House. It was ap proved Tuesday night by the House Appropria tions Committee. “I think it's a well-thought-out budget," said Lewis, D-Fort Worth. He said that these are “mean and lean times." Lawmakers are meeting in special session to write a state budget for the next two years. They face an estimated $4.8 billion shortfall between expected revenue and the cost of continuing current levels of state services. The House committee proposal would fall $1.3 billion short of expected revenue, despite taking a 5 percent bite from most state agencies. It would cut $500 million from higher education, $200 million from welfare services and about $100 million from the state prison system. Lewis said he has confidence in the Appro priations Committee: “They're certainly not going to throw the baby out with the bath wa ter." Sen. John Montford, a Lubbock Democrat who heads the Finance Committee, said his panel hopes to complete work on the Senate's spending plan by Saturday. Annual Night Out Tuesday By Jeff M. Brown The Battalion BACK PAIN STUDIES Patients needed with acute (recent) onset of muscle spasms (back pain, etc.) to participate in a consumer use research study with an FDA approved drug. Medical evaluation at no cost to patient. Eligible volunteers will be compensated. G & S STUDIES, INC. 846-5933 The National Association of Town Watch and local police de partments are encouraging neighborhoods throughout the Brazos Valley to join thousands of communities nationwide for the Eighth Annual National Night Out. The celebration will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Brazos Center with the theme, "Give Neighborhood Crime and Drugs a Going Away Party." The event is designed to heighten awareness of crime and drug prevention, to strengthen police/community relations and to send a message to criminals that neighborhoods nationwide are organized and fighting back for a safer America. Lt. Bert Kretzschmar, Univer sity Crime Prevention Specialist with UPD, said A&M will pro vide bus service to and from the event. "This is a national and even worldwide event," Kretzchmar said. "We want eveyone to get involved but specifically stu dents and faculty." A shuttle bus will pick up in front of the Commons at 5:30 p.m., the Northside Parking Ga rage at 5:45 p.m. and the Mar ried Student Housing Office at 6 p.m. The bus will return from the Brazos Center at 7:30 p.m. Kretzschmar said the cele bration will be informative as well as fun. There will be crime prevention lectures, game booths, free soft drinks and pizza. After the celebration, resi dents are asked to return to their neighborhoods, turn on their outside lights and spend part of the evening outside with neigh bors and police. UPD Cpl. Betty LeMay said socializing with other members of the community creates a safer neighborhood. "We want residents to be aware that by just turning on outer lights prevents crime," Le May said. "Also, getting to know your neighbors creates a crime watch that is hard to beat." conviser-miller cpa ■ review "GET THE CONVISER CONFIDENCE" • Course Materials Include 5 Textbooks • 3 Month Format • Payment Plan Avaflable/M^jor Credit Cards • Exam Techniques Clinic 76% PASS RATE O Enclosed is $75.00, enroll me at the TAAWJ Student (with current I.D.) discount tuition of $841.00 (Reg. tuition is $990.00) □ I would like more information about your course. Name: Address: City/St./Zip:_ Phone: I plan to take the Q May □ November CPA Exam 19 1-800-392-5441 A subsidiary of Harcourt Brace Jovanovtch Also offering Bar/Bri, LSAT, GMAT. MCAT S SAT Mall To: Conviser-MIHer CPA Review 1111 Fannin. Suite 680 Houston, TX 7702 CONTACT LENSES ONLY QUALITY NAME BRANDS (Bausch & Lomb, Ciba, Barnes-Hinds-Hydrocurve) $7 $ 138 00 TOTAL COST y INCLUDES EYE EXAM, FREE CARE KIT, STD. DAILY WEAR, EXTENDED WEAR OR TINTED LENSES. YOUR CHOICE of Std. Daily Wear, Extended Wear or Tinted Soft Lenses SAME DAY DELIVERY ON MOST LENSES. Offer ends August 30,1991 Call 696-3754 for Appointment Charles C. Schroeppel, O.D., P.C. Doctor of Optometry 707 S. Texas Ave.-Suite 101D 1 Blk. South of Texas Ave. & University Dr. Intersection College Station, Texas 77840 BBI helicopter cot ^ and N those as pilot. He spent eight years ove ^eni including time spent in Et c° nc l and Vietnam. «Wr 1 strikii He also has received t Midd ous military decorations sm Wowi the Distinguished Flying C. ^ the Meritorious Service li k 1 di with two Oak Leaf Cluster! ti us L Air Medal with 12 Oak signe Clusters and the Air Force'Arms mendation Medal with | Bui Oak Leaf Clusters. Thur: one < Stokes says he has enjoye;. time as deputy commandar | tne best jc Stokes, who began his Air Force career as a pilot, has al most 4,000 flying hours, many of says it is the b est job arourc an Aggie Air Force Colonel. "It was a great pleasure here," he says. "Everybody wants this and I got to do it for four during a time when there significant improvements it Corps, so it was especially ifying." Stokes' successor as de; commandant. Col. Jame: Crumbliss, previously sene Tindall Air Force Base i >1 iin Flos Governor signs bill to increase aid to Medicaid hospit AUSTIN (AP) — Hq» that serve a large numberof] people could get about $11 more in federal money oveH next two years unaei la fears under signed into law Tuesday by[| Ann Richards. The bill would not be effo if the federal govemmen! jected the plan or if federal!; were not available. It was approved 141-0 b; House Tuesday, after Sr passage by the Senate. Under the measure, dozen hospitals that haw above-average load of Medi J patients would pay the state’ K ercent of their inpatient, ledicaid income. The estimated $585 millio: fee revenue would be mati by the federal governir yielding about $1 billion. Owner drag dog to deatli behind trud DOGWOOD CITY (AP) - woman charged in the deal! her dog, which was drag through a subdivision by a to said Tuesday she thoughts had put the animal in the bad the pickup. But sheriff's officers who Monday charged Betty Tito 50, with cruelty to an anir disagreed, saying she had gi them three different sto; about her large black dog. “I did drag it, but I 0 know that I was dragging | Turner said. “I thought 1 puti the truck." Turner, who says she of took the dog on rides in truck, contends she secured animal to the truck because had attempted to jump from pickup in the past. Witnesses of Lakeway Hai| subdivision told Smith Of investigators they tried to the woman Monday eve/ that the dog, either a Dobe/ pinscher or a Labrador retrie); was tied to her truck along a 3| mile-long circular route on I west side of Lake Palestine. "The people said when * drove by the first time, the