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Thursday, October 15,1992
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Texas A&M University adminis
tration demonstrated laudable con
cern on the part of disabled individ
uals last week through its sponsor
ship of a well received open forum.
The forum specifically addressed
issues regarding the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) which
was recently established to prohibit
discrimination against the aisabled
in the form of employment opportu
nities and access to public places.
With the exception of a few minor
problems, such as steep wheelchair
ramps and narrow doors, our cam
pus is hailed among disabled per
sons for its success in providing eas
ily accessible facilities.
This university not only visibly
demonstrated its commitment to
disabled faculty, staff and students
through the open forum, but also
created two important committees.
An ADA Steering Committee will
ensure that A&M is in compliance
with every facet of the act, and an
advisory committee partially com
prised of disabled individuals will
serve as a sounding board for the
public.
Both disabled and non-disabled
students should be proud that this
University is not ignoring the inter
ests of those most effected by the
implementation of the ADA.
While the physical accessibility at
A&M is already above average, the
administration has proven itself ca
pable of listening to the concerns of
disabled individuals.
Through such a joint effort, this
institution will not only succeed in
achieving university compliance
with ADA regulations, but will
have demonstrated commitment to
all individuals.
Cutting the red tape
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Program steers aid to those in need
Through a new Department of
Health and Human Services pro
gram, over three dozen local, state
and federal agencies will consoli
date their application process under
one roof in a few selected areas.
The "Client Access Pilot Program"
opened its first office in rural Schle
icher County in the city of Eldorado.
Two other such offices are planned
for Lubbock and Dallas in the near
future.
This program aims to cut down
on the bureaucracy surrounding the
delivery of Health and Human Ser
vices aid programs. These services
include free immunizations, food
stamps and utility bill aid.
The beauty of this particular pro
gram is that it makes services more
accessible, particularly to rural Tex
ans, while decreasing costs and
helping to prevent fraud. Some ex
perts have estimated that only one
of every eight social services dollars
is actually spent on people in need;
the other seven are spent funding
the massive bureaucracy involved
in delivering social services.
Besides cutting red tape, the con
solidation program should also cut
down on fraud. One office and one
application process make it impossi
ble for people to go from office to
office falsifying information for long
periods of time in order to bilk the
system of much-needed funds.
If the Client Access Pilot Program
proves successful, it may actually
please everyone, including reform
ers. Each segment of our govern
ment bureaucracy could profit from
such an ingenious approach to
problem solving.
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Fraternity offers
clarification, apology
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Due to the strong controversy sur
rounding Sigma Alpha Epsilon's party
on Oct. 2, we, the brothers of Sigma Al
pha Epsilon, feel that some clarification
of the events that occurred that night
needs to be made. We would also like
to offer an apology for our mistakes.
All fraternity/sorority mixers (par
ties) have themes. Thematic parties im
ply costumes and decorations. The
theme for Sigma Alpha Epsilon's party
on Oct. 2 was “Jungle Party." The par
ty-goers dressed up in costumes related
to this theme. Some dressed as Tarzan
or Jane, some as wild game safari
hunters, some as wild game, and some
as jungle natives. At no time during
the entire night were those who were
dressed as natives chased by those who
were dressed as hunters. Approximate
ly 70 percent to 80 percent or the party-
goers were dressed in a Tarzan type of
outfit. Therefore, the claim that the
theme of the party was a parody of an
African slave hunt where the actives, all
dressed as slave hunters, were chasing
slaves around is completely ludicrous.
To think that any large collegiate orga
nization which is constantly under pub
lic scrutiny would have a party with
such a theme is insane.
With that issue aside, another related
issue still needs to be addressed: cul
tural sensitivity. I am afraid that Sigma
Alpha Epsilon, along with many other
organizations across this campus and
across the nation are guilty of being cul
turally insensitive. What Sigma Alpha
Epsilon is guilty of is depicting jungle
natives with some of the costumes. Sig
ma Alpha Epsilon sincerely apologizes
to those whom these costumes offend
ed. The fact that we did not assume
that such a costume would be offensive
was ignorant on our part. The fact that
it is offensive to some people is all that
matters. So the issue here is of cultural
insensitivity due to ignorance to cultur
al feelings. This situation can be com
pared to the controversy surrounding
fans of the Atlanta Braves who, during
games, wave their arms in the motion
of a tomahawk while humming a Na
tive American tune. Native Americans
found this action offensive to their cul
ture because they felt that it portrayed
them as savage warriors, tnis never
even crossed the minds of the fans
when they first started this form of
cheering. Similarly, we were not taking
into consideration the feelings of those
who might find some of the costumes
offensive.
At least something positive has come
of this incident: Hopefully, from now
on, campus organizations will be more
culturally sensitive with their activities
and policies. Sigma Alpha Epsilon cer
The Battalion
Page 11
Strolling the halls of bureaucracy
A&M's puzzling policies engender great frustration
B eing alive compensates,
marginally, for what life is
about to do to you, or so I'm
told.
My misadventure began with an
attempt to get on payroll as an em
ployee of Texas A&M — yes, the Batt
actually pays us for this.
Like any other well developed
bureaucracy, A&M is a collage of de
partments and sub-departments
working in concert to confound and
frustrate its hapless victims.
There is nothing at all personal
about this state of affairs. The people
that work in these departments sim
ply interpret mandates and regula
tions from "The Beyond." Mars, I'm
guessing. On my first visit I learned that my student iden
tification number is not considered an equivalent to my So
cial Security number, even though the former is derived
from the latter. I had to come back with the real McCo)-
card, no its, ands, or buts.
TTKe next day I got off for lunch from my full-time job
for the second time. I parked in what seemed like Iowa, ex
cept this was a field of shimmering metal. I started my hike
to Reed McDonald with hopes of polishing off my payroll
paperwork with enough time left over to pick up a burger
and coke. Ha!
At Reed McDonald, I under went the traditional rite-of-
forms. So far, so good! Off to the Pavilion with my paper
work for "processing". Processing? Isn't that done to
cheese?
Now the Pavilion must be the center of this concrete
and asphalt vortex we call campus — the dark, throbbing
heart of the A&M Bureauscape. There is no student that
does pot make at least one pilgrimage to this bureaucratic
Mecca.
After some confusion as to what particular window to
poke my face through, I found the right office. I was then
told that I wasn't taking enough hours to be processed
properly. I had to go back to Reed McDonald to be "reclas
sified". Not so bad, I still had time to get some lunch.
After having my papers re-worked at Reed, they sent
me hoofing back to the Pavilion. After waiting another 20
minutes for "processing," I was told that the Pavilion did
not process "affiliated students". That is done at the
YMCA building. I sprinted.
I was directed to a room where a handful of people
were watching what appeared to be a safety film on chang
ing chlorine gas for a swimming pool. This could not be
the right place! However, I was informed that if I wanted
to be paid, I would have to watch this film. I got up and
left, clawing at the air in a generally sour mood. I hiked to
the car, somewhere over the horizon. No lunch.
The film? I watched it the next week, baa, baa. Some
where at this university there must be a case of paper de
voted to my records — or else my paper work has been
converted into confetti for a bureaucratic party.
A bureaucracy is perhaps the highest, most evolved
form of self-organizing ignorance. When properly func
tioning, a bureaucracy is linked to a cobweb of conflicting
lines of direction and authority. It is as indefatigable as it is
ubiquitous. There is no escape.
So it is easy to become anesthetized to the pervasive bu
reaucracy that makes up this fine institution (I write "insti
tution" with tongue tuclced firmly in cheek). Call it lack of
imagination, but I see no solution to this problem short of
napalm, so we might as well celebrate it. If something like I
have described happens to you, chin up! Bring a date,
book, or chain saw to your queue. Use roller blades for
those inter-departmental shuffles. During the spring and
summer semesters, bring a towel and get that tan you al
ways wanted (this could almost get fun). Greeks could use
this for some kind of T-shirt. The Corps of Cadets could
commemorate Queues and start another tradition. The pos
sibilities are endless. Write up your suggestions and send
them to the editor.
Now, I realize that this column might stir the heart and
ire of some visionary bureausymp secure in the knowledge
of his or her indispensable role in preserving Truth, Justice
and the American way. This person might feel the urge to
write a letter — or form? — in response.
In which case they may commence queuing up at the
proper ministry at the proper time (to be announced later).
Dickerson is a sophomore economics major
MATTHEW
DICKERSON
Columnist
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’•Each candidate
may respond to
put-down, and
tainly will. But pleaseunderstand that
our theme was in no way a slave hunt
parody. Such a racist theme would not
be tolerated or condoned by Sigma Al
pha Epsilon. Again, we sincerely apol
ogize for our insensitivities.
Ken Monk
Class of '92
Kelly Kuoiak
Class of '93
representing Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Fellow Greeks claim
party wasn't racist
We are sorority members who at
tended the Jungle Party two weeks ago
on Oct. 2. We think the accusations by
Mr. Salem against Sigma Alpha Epsilon
are completely unsubstantiated. The
party was not a "celebration of one of
the most terrible crimes against human
ity ever witnessed." It was simply a
with a jungle theme,
e pledges were not dressed up as
slaves. Yes, their faces were painted
black, they were wearing grass skirts,
and they carried spears, but it appeared
to us they were dressed more liKe mem
bers of a tribe than like slaves.
Many other members also followed a
tribal theme by painting their faces
white. Some actives were dressed in
hunting fatigues but their intent was
not to hunt slaves and we never saw
them chasing any pledges.
As Mike Hebert pointed out, many
members of SAE are involved in nu
merous organizations on campus. The
same holds true for our sorority.
Having such an extensive involve
ment in activities outside the Greek
community, we understand A&M's tra
dition of promoting multiculturalism
and try to promote this idea in every
activity we participate in.
With this in mmd, if we had felt this
was a "parody of hunting slaves," nei
ther organization would have con
doned this.
If the Interfraternity Council feels
there is indeed a problem, the Greek
system as a whole should be looked at
because many functions have what
could be considered questionable
themes by the likes of Joe Salem.
Greeks have enough negative public
ity without unsubstantiated claims of
racism.
We feel the SAE's are a respectable
chapter and would not initiate acts such
as tnose described by Joe Salem.
We support the SAE's and hope fur
ther exploitation of this matter will
cease.
Jana Cox
Jennifer Petteway
Class of‘94
accompanied by four signatures
Fraternity needs dose
of cultural awareness
How are "We, the People" supposed
to win the human race by running the
race backwards? You mentioned the
positive activities of your fraternity,
which are all wonderful, but sometimes
the most positive role that one (espe
cially an organization) can perform is
the avoidance of the negative.
With the racial tension throughout
the United States — in fact, on this cam
pus — your so-called problem was in
credibly inappropriate and negligent of
cultural awareness.
Perhaps it did not seem morally un
justifiable, and granted, Joe Salem from
Dallas may be ignorant of Sigma Alpha
Epsilon and the Texas A&M Greek sys
tem. This only demonstrates why it is
so damned important to portray a posi
tive image in your community and ev
erywhere else you carry your organiza
tion's symbolism. What is done is his
tory, such as is slavery. But, I ask that
you (and others) make amendments to
engage in cultural awareness, and think
of others besides yourselves in the fu
ture.
Jason Cooke
Class of '93
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