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Page 2
The Battalion
Wednesday, September 30,M
Professors gear up for excuses
Texas A&M instructors expect bombardment of pleas as test season starts
By WILL HEACY
Reporter of THE BATTALION
K s the first round of exams
draws near, professors
across the Texas A&M Uni
versity campus are readying them
selves for another barrage of excuses
from students who need to get out of
class or miss a test.
"I've killed thousands of grand
mothers in my years of teaching,"
said Dr. Gary Halter, director of un
dergraduate studies in the Department
of Political Science.
However, dead grandmothers are
not the only reason students use to get
out of their academic obligations.
Halter had one student who failed
to fulfill an academic obligation be
cause his lamp electrocuted him when
he turned it off. Halter accepted the
excuse when the student came to his
office wearing a sling.
Some students show initiative, cre
ativity and stick-to-it-ness.
Amy Wink, a teaching assistant in
the English Department, had a student
call to get an extension on a paper.
Wink refused to give him the exten
sion and a few minutes later the stu
dent called back and said he was sick.
Wink still did not give in, the student
called again and said his computer
would not print.
Wink's student was not granted
"I've killed thousands of
grandmothers in my
years of teaching."
-Dr. Gary Halter
the extension and he gave up.
Dr. Clint Magill, a genetics profes
sor, said he too has had his fair share
of interesting excuses from students.
Magill remembers one story, in par
ticular, about one of his students who
got her paper stuck in an antique
dresser and she could not turn it in on
time because she "couldn't afford to
get it out" of the dresser.
Another excuse students use is
problems with relationships they're
involved in.
Dr. Robert Newman, a professor of
English, had a student who missed
two weeks of class because he said his
girlfriend was pregnant.
Soon after, the same student missed
two more weeks. When Newman
asked the student why he missed class
the second time, the student said, "It
wasn't my baby!"
Car trouble is another common rea
son students sometimes have a diffi
cult time attending classes.
Jon Moritz, a graduate student and
former teaching assistant in animal
nutrition, had a student whose car had
broken down five minutes before
every exam.
The student came in crying, and
Moritz was forced to give a make-up
exam in every instance. "The profes
sor wouldn't put his foot down," said
Moritz.
See Excuses/Page 6
Southside halls vote against going coed
By TANYA SASSER
Staff Writer of THE BATTALION
Although Krueger, Aston and Dunn dormitory residents
voiced their disapproval of a proposal that would make two
of the halls coed, there is still a possibility that they will be
transformed, said the president of the Texas A&M Residence
Hall Association.
Kim Tenpas said surveys were circulated through the halls
in an effort to gather residents' opinions. The hall presidents
and RHA delegates took a vote, according to the surveys, last
Wednesday and the proposal was voted down.
"What happens now is that the RHA sends the results to
Student Affairs as our recommendation," she said. "Student
Affairs decides now if they still want to do it."
Tom Murray, assistant director of Student Affairs/Resi
dence Life, said he met with the presidents and residence di
rectors of all three halls on Sunday.
"We talked about feedback and pros and cons," he said.
"The residents are clearly not in favor of it."
Murray said there is still discussion about converting other
halls to coed and he hopes at least one hall will volunteer to
become coed. The final decision about the conversion should
be made by Christmas so that it can be implemented by next
fall, he said.
Raoul Rodriguez, president of Dunn Hall, said his hall
does not want to be converted to coed.
"The general consensus was that 70 percent were against
and 30 percent were for the proposal," he said. "It's a really
odd issue; there are reasons to go (coed) and reasons not to."
Rodriguez said the vote at the RHA meeting to shoot
down the proposal does not insure that Krueger, Aston or
Dunn will not be converted.
"The vote we had at RHA may or may not mean any
thing," he said.
Paris Kharbat, president of Krueger, said the vote was
based on the results of the survey and most of the residents
opposed the change.
"We (Hall Council) did not sway the girls either way," she
said. "We didn't vote according to the way we felt; we voted
according to the survey."
Krueger had 111 girls vote against the proposal and 56
girls vote in favor of it.
Stephanie Harrington, Krueger resident, said she is against
the proposal because she likes living in an all-girl dorm.
Lacrossed
Darrin Hill/The Battalion
Holly McHurlen (left), a sophomore health education major from San Antonio,
tries to steal the ball from Sarah Street, a senior elementary education major from
Grahm, Texas. Both were playing Lacrosse out on the Polo Field with a couple of
friends. McHurlen is trying to start a women’s Lacrosse team for A&M because
only a men’s team exist. She used to play on the men’s team but quit because the
guys play more aggressively than she became used to while playing on a team in
Pennsylvania. • v .r.oi^
FILM SOCIETY
Don’t miss out!
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An MSC Student Programs Committee
AUlt
OF TEXAS A & M I
In prison they are the law.
On the streets they are th<?power.
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Friday,gf!tober;2|
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Admission is $2.50
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For more information call: 847-8478
The Battalion
ATLANTIS TILLMAN, Editor in Chief
STEVE O’BRIEN, Managing Editor
JASON LOUGHMAN, Opinion Editor GARY CARROLL, City Editor
MEREDITH HARRISON, News Editor J. DOUGLAS FOSTER, Sports Editor
HEIDI SAUER, News Editor CHRIS WHITLEY, Sports Editor
TODD BLACKMON, Arts & Entertainment RICHARD S. JAMES, Photo Editor
Editor
Staff Members
Reporters — Melody Dunne, Mark Evans, Todd Stone, Brandi Jordan, Cheryl Heller, Tanya Sasser,
Robin Goodpaster. Juli Phillips, Tanya Williams, Julie Chelkowski, Monique Lunsford, Mack Harrision, and
Will Healy.
News desk — Kyle Burnett, Tracia Newbold, Jennifer Mentlik, David Thomas, Lance Holmes, Lauri Reysa
and Jennifer Smith.
Photographers — Darrin Hill, Jenny Matlack, Randy Nichols, Sandra Alvarado. Billy Moran, Jennifer
Lockard, Ricardo S. Garcia and Robert Reed.
Lifestyles writers — Susan Owen, Anas Ben-Musa, Tricia Martinez and Julie Polston.
Sports writers— K. Lee Davis, Michael Plumer, Don Norwood and Ruly Medrano.
Columnists - Anthony LoBaido, Stacy Feducia, Dwayne Purvis, Shawn Ralston, Matt Dickerson, Robert
Vasquez, and Toni Garrard.
Cartoonists — William Harrison, Thomas Deeney, George Nasr, and Clay Welch.
Clerks — Darra Dees, Pejcharat Harvey, Shelley Rowton and Jamie Anderson.
The Battalion (DSPS 045-360) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters
and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods), at
Texas A&M University. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77840.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M
University, College Station, TX 77843.
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of
Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. Editorial offices are in 013 Reed McDonald
Building. Newsroom phone number is 845-3316. Fax: 845-2647.
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the Opinion Page staff or the contributor and do not
necessarily represent the opinions of the Texas A&M Battalion editors, student body, administration, faculty
or staff.
Advertising: For campus, local and national display advertising, call 845-2696. For classified advertising,
call 845-0569. Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday
through Friday. Fax: 845-5408.
Subscriptions: Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50 per full year. To
charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 845-2611,
HOMMAGE A
BALANCHINE
RESEARCH
Skin Infection Study
VIP Research is seeking individuals 12 years of age or older with
uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections. If you have a skin
infection, you may qualify for a four week research study using a currently
available antibiotic medication. Participants who qualify and complete
the study will he paid $200.
Genital Herpes Study
Individuals with genital herpes infection are being recruited for a 3 week
research study of an investigational anti-viral medication. If you would
like to find out more about this study, call VIP Research. $400 will be
paid to qualified volunteers who enroll and complete das study.
Acne Study
VIP Research is conducting an ACNE research study with a
reformulation of a currently available topical anti-acne medication in gel
form. If you are 13 to 40 years old and have mild-to-moderate facial
acne,you may qualify for this study and receive up to $150 for your
participation. No blood drawn.
CALL
Volunteers in Pharmaceutical Research, Inc.
776-1417
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TACOI
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If you are looking for the challenge of running a business,
we would like to have you join our Management team at
Taco Bell. Taco Bell is a subsidiary of "Pepsico," a Fortune
500 company.
Benefits include:
401K Plan
Dental Insurance
Health Insurance
Stock Option
College Tuition Reimbursement
If interested. Taco Bell will be interviewing all Majors and
MBAs who demonstrate leadership, interpersonal, and
administrative skills at the placement center, October 12,
1992. Bid deadline is September 29, 1992, so don't hesitate
and RUN FOR THE BORDER.
If you have any questions please contact Trena Castle, Kenny
Niederhofer, or Todd Smith at (318) 439-0348.
4rEXCITING NEWS#
DECEMBER
GRADUATES
GRADUATION ANNOUNCEMENTS
ARE NOW ON SALE !!!!!
ORDERS WILL BE TAKEN
THROUGH
FRIDAY OCTOBER 2, 1992
MSC STUDENT FINANCE
CENTER ROOM 217
8 AM TO 4 PM
ORDERS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PICKUP
APPROXIMATELY THE THIRD WEEK
OF NOVEMBER
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