The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, January 20, 1993, Image 1
' 19,1993 tale The Battalion 92 No. 76 (14 pages) ‘Serving Texas A&M Since 1893’ Wednesday, January 20,1993 Former MSC director dies -bade, clavv.' talk ...' Stark instrumental in creating student programs, attracting world leaders By GINA HOWARD The Battalion etal on one iwn to the ?s. g an effect Ben Perry J. Wayne Stark, director of the MSC for 33 years, died at age 77. J. Wayne Stark, who served as director of the Texas A&M Uni versity Memorial Student Center for 33 years, died Monday in Bryan at the age of 77. Stark was important to the University in many different ways, said University President Dr. William H. Mobley. "I considered him a valued counsel, adviser and friend," Mobley said. "He is not replace able, and A&M was fortunate to have him for so long. His legacy will be long-lasting." Stark began work for A&M in 1947, overseeing the construction of the MSC. He was instrumental in the development of such stu dent programs as the Opera and Performing Arts Society (OPAS), the Student Conference on Na tional Affairs (SCONA), and the Great Issues and Political Forum programs, which have attracted both world leaders and interna tionally acclaimed performers to A&M. The MSC is now credited with being the largest student activi ties program of its type in the world, MSC director James R. Reynolds said in a press release. Mobley said Stark was consid ered one of the most influential persons to ever serve A&M. "I think Stark had as much of a positive influence on the Univer sity, students, and former stu dents as any individual who has ever served here," he said. "He had a profound effect on many, many students in terms of goals and aspirations, and was a link to many former students even after his retirement." Following Stark's retirement from the MSC in 1980, he contin ued to serve the University as special assistant to Mobley. Stark graduated from high school in Winters, Texas and re ceived a bachelor's degree in his tory from A&M in 1939. He at tended the University of Texas Law School but withdrew be cause of World War II, serving with distinction in the European Theater. In addition to his service to A&M, Stark was also involved with various arts and civic activi ties in Bryan-College Station and across the state. He was a former president of the Association of College Unions-Intemational and retired from the U.S. Army Re serve as a lieutenant colonel. Stark was awarded the Andy Anderson Award by the Arts Council of the Brazos Valley in and 69 in- •rted eight ently was erry said, ping holes id injured, eckage. yes up and which was weather, he train by makeshift Complex Issues await Clinton, experts say By STEPHANIE PATTILLO The Battalion ies tage e and two on dollars As President-elect Bill Clinton spares to take the oath of office, sis met with great uncertainty ad expectation on issues such as economy, health care and Sad- im Hussein, experts say. "The primary concern for most iee related story Page 6 coll said he ion dollars ra half-cent d to see the nillion dol- ," he said, ht now." >e used for re per year to lure new keting arid be- His His oar- Americans is economic recovery," I in James, Brazos County Democ- JtParty chairman, said. "Clinton sbright; he likes policy, and he ill be able to help the economy .'cover across the board." George Edwards III, director for the Center for Presidential indies at Texas A&M, said Amer- ans will be substantially disap pointed with Clinton's plan to im prove the economy. The things that need to be ie are contradictory," he said. Deficit reduction and fiscal stim- is are not compatible." Edwards said the biggest eco- omic question for Clinton is hether to employ short-term Smulus to the economy or long- ?rm structural improvements. "This (long-term) would mean fflprovements in education, hu- nan capital and fiscal infrastruc- iure," he said. Not only does the economy leed a change, experts say health ire is a major problem for most Americans. "With the election of Clinton, people are expecting everyone to ’eceive health care but without the tost," Rodger Lewis, Brazos County Republican Party chair man, said. "They are expecting be government to provide this." Health care is a nightmare, ames said, and it is the one promise that Clinton has to fulfill. "People are dying because they tan't afford health insurance," he S5 id. "This is a social problem that Clinton has to reform." However, Edwards said Clin ton has already begun breaking Promises even before he takes of- Bill could cause deficit for A&M By REAGON CLAMON The Battalion Texas A&M may face a budget deficit in 1995 if a state bill passes without a university-approved 3 percent faculty pay raise, a uni versity official told the Faculty Senate Tuesday night. Dr. E. Dean Gage, Texas A&M provost and se- Gage See Stark/Page 12 mor vice presi dent, said the current appro priations bill al lows for pas sage of the Uni versity budget for the 1994 fis cal year with out cuts. How ever, 1995 is a different story. "The bad news is . . . for some reason, this 3 percent salary in crease that you just got in Decem ber was carried into '94 but was not carried into 1995," Gage said. Gage said the budget summary explicitly allows for a carry over from earlier budgets, and the uni versity would discuss it with the state senate finance committee. Another alarming component in the appropriations bill. Gage said, is a resolution cutting the state contribution to state employ- ee's Optional Retirement Pro gram. The program gives a return on employee contributions of 8.5 percent, and the state currently supplies the program with 7.31 percent. Under the new bill, the state would only contribute 6 percent. Institutions have to make up the remaining interest from their own appropriations. "That is the most alarming ele ment of (the bill) that we currently see," Gage said. "That is at the top of our list of discussions in the budget testimony we will be giv ing. The Senate committee began hearings for state agencies last Thursday. Texas A&M will get its hearing this Friday. Among other Faculty Senate business, a proposal to raise the current foreign language require ment of the University core cur riculum was defeated 35-24 after some senators expressed concern that the change would discrimi nate against incoming freshmen from small high schools. The change would prohibit in coming students from being ad mitted until they had completed the university's foreign language requirement. Dr. Karen Kubena, associate professor of animal sciences, spoke in opposition of the propos al. "Individuals who graduate from A, AA, and even AAA high schools in the state of Texas . . . may not have the opportunity to take a foreign language as a high school student," Kubena said. "These individuals would be re quired to take two courses of for eign language prior to admission and have to be admitted to A&M as transfer students and meet transfer requirements. "It really is a question of dis crimination." Kubena said she would sup port a modified motion that would give special consideration to students that did not have the opportunity to take a foreign lan guage in high school. Schedule change Tentative plans on drawing table for change in / 93- / 94 academic calendar By JASON COX The Battalion The spring semester began mid-week in order to have the same number of days as the fall semester, but following a tentative revision in the academic calendar, both semesters of the '93-'94 school year will begin on a Monday, said Texas A&M registrar Don Carter. Some faculty had concerns about starting the semester mid-week. Carter said, and he speculated that starting on a Monday may offer more flexibility in scheduling lessons. Carter also said when a semester starts mid-week, students may feel compelled to skip classes and begin school on the next full week. Student Body President Steve Beller said he feels that starting class on Wednesday would encourage student attendance. "You can look at it two ways — starting class at the beginning of the week is psychological," Beller said. "It's a fresh start, but starting class on Wednesday gives students an opportunity to get moved in and get everything taken care of on Monday and Tuesday." Dr. Ron Kaiser, chairman of the Academic Affairs Committee, said that the Faculty Senate is in the process of reviewing the present calen dar but "hasn't worked out the details" in balancing the dates and hopes to add an extra reading day in future semesters. Work on the academic calendar begins one-and-a-half to two years in advance and is initiated by the registrar. After the registrar's office forms a tentative calendar, it is submitted for review to the Academic Operations Committee and the Graduate Operations Committee which are made up of assistant and associate deans and other administrators who deal with student life. If approved, the schedule is sent to the Academic Program Commit tee. Comprised of full deans, vice presidents and associate provosts, the committee has the opportunity for input before sending it to the Faculty Senate, which ultimately recommends approval to the president. Bryan man seeks to fill vacancy in U.S. Senate By JEFF GOSMANO JOHN BARTRAM/Thc Battalion The Battalion Workers shovel mud at Wolf Pen Creek in a attempt to dry the ground enough to continue construction. Due to the recent inclement weather , completion of the park has been delayed. According to a parks and recreation official, the opening date of April 2 will be postponed until May if necessary. See related story on Page 2. Campus march, rally to honor MLK lice. "There is no way that the deficit will be cut by 1997, and the middle class tax cut will not hap pen," he said. Lewis agreed, adding that the 0 nly promise the new president "'ill keep is a tax increase on the nch. But Clinton spoke of other is A march to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will begin today at the Fish Pond on campus at 4 p.m. and conclude at the Rudder Fountain for a rally. The "March For The Equality of All People" is sponsored by the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Coordinating Committee of Texas A&M University. said Joseph Thomas, chairman of the MLK Student Coordinating Committee. "He always marched for a cause he was working for. We thought this march is a fitting (tribute)." See Swarming Issues/Page 6 "We are trying to follow in the legacy of Martin Luther King," Featured speakers will include Dr. John Koldus, vice president for student services, and student leaders from various organiza tions on campus, including Stu dent Body President Steve Beller. All faculty and students are in vited to participate in the celebra tion. "Our goal is to spread Dr. King's philosophy of nonviolence as a way of life here at Texas A&M," Thomas said. "We want to show that you can come togeth er peacefully to make a strong statement for a common cause and to encourage students to work together to eliminate cultur al insensitivity." Lou Zaeske, Bryan resident and Perot petition drive organizer, announced Tuesday he will enter the U.S. Senate special election as an Independent to fill the seat vacated by Secretary of Treasury-designate Lloyd Bentsen. "I am running for the U.S. Senate to give Texans an opportunity to vote for someone who is not a career government officeholder or a narrow special interest candidate," Zaeske said. Zaeske said because he is the only non-partisan candidate, he will not be accountable to special interest groups if elected. "I am the only candidate in this race," he said, "who wants to help grassroots Americans take back their government from the party machines, career politicians, lobbyists and special interest groups that have put our government in the mess it is in." Zaeske's wife, Joann, said the election of President-elect Clinton shows that voters want change. "Too many people are tired of status quo in government," Joann Zaeske said. "They are tired of self-serving politicians." Rodger Lewis, chairman of the Brazos County Republican Party, said Zaeske's campaigns are run similar to Ross Perot's presidential campaign. Zaeske ran in the 1990 Texas Senate race as an Independent. "When he (Zaeske) ran in 1990 he tried to be like a Perot but didn't have the money," Lewis said. "He is committed to his causes, but his chances (of election) are zero." Zaeske, a graduate of Texas A&M University, is a self- employed Bryan businessman. 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