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The Battalion Editorial Board
Steve O'Brien, editor in chief
Jason Loughman, managing editor Kyle Burnett, news editor
Todd Stone, city editor Dave Thomas, news editor
Stacy Feducia, opinion page editor Don Norwood, sports editor
Susan Owen, lifestyles editor Darrin Hill, photo editor
The Battalion
/ ~~
100 years at
Texas A&M
Good luck. Walker
Many issues face president-elect
Congratulations to the new 1993-
94 Student Body President Brian
Walker.
Although Walker's term does not
officially begin until this fall, there
are several issues for which he must
quickly and aggressively prepare.
First, Walker must re-establish
the credibility of student body elec
tions. Last week's ballot tampering
shattered the integrity of the elec-
^ tion. Walker must encourage
,JA\ | stronger guidelines for the election
y process and tougher penalties for
those who violate guidelines.
Further, most
students feel de
tached from Stu
dent Government
and consider it
just a small,
anonymous
group of self-in
dulgent individu
als who are work
ing for their re
sume titles, not the students that
they are supposed to serve.. Walker
must bridge the gap between stu
dent government and students.
Another concern is the question
of openness and diversity for mi
nority and ethnic groups on cam
pus. Some groups have com
plained that traditions shut minori
ties out of the A&M culture.
Whether that accusation is true
must be explored with vigor.
We applaud Walker's call for a
larger Greek staff to help members
of the Greek system avoid racial in
cidents such as last year's "jungle
party." Currently, there is only one
adviser for the entire Greek system.
Walker has said expanding the
. .Greek staff will assist fraternities
jnon an d sororities with problems such
f you
Campus
Elections
as legal issues and zoning rights.
We agree.
Since three Texas A&M System
schools were given the A&M name
last month, unsubstantiated rumors
have surfaced that other schools
will now be able to wear the Aggie
ring. Walker has stressed through
out his campaign that he will fight
any action that would allow stu
dents from other schools to pur
chase the Aggie ring.
While we agree that other schools
are not a part of A&M and should
not be allowed to purchase the Ag
gie ring, this is an
issue that serves
best on the cam
paign trail, not
on the agenda of
Student Body
President.
Certainly,
Walker was right
on target in
stressing the
need to prepare for a possible spe
cial legislative session this fall.
While legislators tackle higher edu
cation issues such as the student re
gent, budget cuts and tuition in
creases, the next student body pres
ident must be prepared to represent
A&M's best interests.
Walker has previously testified
before the state legislature and
seems prepared for the task of rep
resenting the needs of students.
There are plenty of other issues
for Walker to consider such as im
proving faculty relations, textbook
costs and sexual assault on campus.
Of course, not one student body
president cannot do it all, but as
long as Walker raises these issues,
he will have served the students
well.
A&M women, the joke's on you
Laugh this one off: Candidates choked on gender
T his column is usually a haven of
half-hearted humor and subtle
satire - or at least I tend to think
so. Some people have different sense of
humor than I, and some people have no
sense of humor at all. But this week, I
have a topic guaranteed to make every
one laugh: women's issues!
HA! HA! HA! TEE! HEE! HEE!
HEE! Wait! Wait! There's more! Not
just any women's issues - women's is
sues at Texas A&M. BAAAH! HA!
HA! HO! HO. . . HA. . . ha. Huh?
That's exactly what the candidates
for student body president said when I
asked them THE question during the
Battalion endorsement interviews:
"What is your position regarding gen
der issues on campus?"
Slack-jawed, the candidates pondered quietly. This ques
tion was obviously not covered in their piles of pat answers
and campaign rhetoric. "Could you repeat the question?"
Sure, I'll repeat it, but first I will define gender issues in
small words and big type so everyone can understand. Gen
der issues are those issues which pertain to men and women
as culturally defined entities. For example, a male gender is
sue would include dispelling the myth of the macho man
which discourages men from showing their emotions.
Women's gender issues include things such as rape, sexual ha
rassment and discrimination. The neat thing about gender is
sues that they affect both women and men.
And that's what bothered me as I watched the Student
Body President candidates squirm: They hadn't really
thought about these issues. They hadn't considered things
that directly affect up to 50 percent of their prospective con
stituency - and indirectly affect the entire student body.
But that's why I am here - to offer suggestions on women's
issues to the incoming regime, and I'll do it in small words
and big type and simple suggestions so everyone can under
stand and implement them with alacrity.
Rape: The University offers a lot of services such as escort
services and Dial-A-Ride to protect women and men, but
more can be done.
• Increase night patrols on campus. This would benefit all
students who were walking across campus late at night. Just
having a UPD officer drive by more often might discourage
potential muggers and rapists.
• Increase lighting and emergency phones on campus.
• Increase the number of self-defense classes offered by the
University. Six classes will be offered in the fall, which is an
increase over this spring - but this class is in high demand
every semester.
• Pressure the University to maintain awareness of rape.
Last summer. University officials tried to remove the descrip
tive posters of an alleged rapist because they were concerned
about the public relations effect these posters would have at
Freshman Orientation. Let the campus community know that
Student Government will not sacrifice personal safety to the
god of public relations.
Sexual harassment is another problem, one that made us
the laughingstock of the nation last year. Though the issue
has blown over - which could be part of the problem - that
the candidates didn't even think about it is the biggest joke.
But before you bust a gut with that knee-slapper, here are
some suggestions to help combat this issue.
• Incorporate discussions on sexual harassment and dis
crimination in the multiculturalism programs that Student
Government is considering implementing.
• Offer programs on recognizing, combating and prevent
ing sexual harassment to campus organizations.
• Publicize heavily the channels through which women
and men should take their sexual harassment complaints and
make that process more efficient.
Though rape and sexual harassment are by no means the
only problems confronting women on campus, they are two of
the biggest. In the long run, these two problems can be over
come by improving the representation of women in our soci
ety as a whole and on our campus in particular. The leaders
of the student body can set the pace for the campus by encour
aging and emphasizing women's issues.
• The Student Body President should use the prestige of his
position to support women's issues. The presence of the Stu
dent Body President at such events as the NOW Rape Speak
Out that was held last fall would show the campus that Stu
dent Government is committed to women at A&M.
• Finally, create a women's bureau within Student Govern
ment to help women develop their leadership skills and abili
ties and to encourage women to share their ideas. It could
provide a reference point for women throughout the campus
and could ensure that women's issues are kept in the public
eye and on the agenda of Student Government. It could also
encourage more women to run for Student Body President.
These of course are merely suggestions. And excuses about
money and power could prevent them form being discussed.
And then again, we could all still be doubled over with laugh
ter: As women on campus, the joke's on us. It's obvious by
the neglect in addressing women's issues during the cam
paign that the men who ran for president aren't too concerned
about our issues. If they don't to handle them; it's high time
that we do. What is your position regarding gender issues on
this campus? You heard that here first.
Feducia is a senior English and history major.
STACY
FEDUCIA
Opinion Editor
“Tfes...I swear we didn't &tn0e the World Trade Center
bombing to boost our ratings!...”
ARISE! Resurrection Week explained for all Aggies
aim 1
"What's with
this Arise thing? Is
the class of '93
coining back out of
the grave?" - This
quote was offered
by a member of the
'94 Boot Dance
Committee. Others
have been asking
similar questions
about the hundreds
of blue shirts that
boldly say "Arise!".
Many of you prob
ably know that
these shirts are just
a visible part of
Texas A&M's first Resurrection Week.
The purpose of Resurrection Week has
been to call attention to the truth of the
resurrection of Jesus Christ and to cele
brate His saving grace available to all
people. This week will culminate in thou
sands of Aggie Christians worshiping
Christ on Easter Sunday. Since we don't
have classes tomorrow. Resurrection
Week ends today. Many skeptics of both
Christ's resurrection and of evangelical
Christians may be very thankful of this
BOBBY
DEAN
Guest Columnist
fact, but I am proud to proclaim that the
impact of Resurrection Week is just begin
ning.
Some have said that this week has
been planned by Christian student lead
ers in order to unify Aggie Christians
from all walks of life and from different
denominations. The truth is this week is
a result of Christians who have been uni
fied for some time now. In recent years,
many Christian campus organizations
have placed less emphasis on their orga
nizations, denominations, and activities
and have placed their primary emphasis
on helping students KNOW Jesus Christ
through a personal relationship through
Him.
The unity that exists between Chris
tians on campus is not just a result of our
common experience by accepting Christ
as our Savior and Lord but is a result of
the common struggles and issues we face.
Being a Christian who refuses to compro
mise the message of Christ is becoming
more difficult in our society. The problem
lies with the fact that the Bible says Christ
is the ONLY way to salvation. This unpo-
litically correct message has been difficult
to vocalize without the Christian being
deemed "culturally insensitive." These
common struggles are drawing Aggie
Christians together while we learn that
our unity gives us strength.
However, unity is not the only source
of theAggie Christians' strength. God has
given us His spirit which strengthens,
guides and encourages us daily. It is al
most like an adventure. On average, we
begin each day with prayer. During this
quiet time of conversation with God, we
are reminded that He will lead us
throughout the day. Going into the day,
we follow Him - wherever He leads; we
speak what He puts upon our hearts. We
trust He will not lead us anywhere that
He can't handle. When we come home,
after a day filled with peace, we can sing
"He's never failed me yet!" This is the
Holy Spirit, which lives inside of us - He
leads us.
The peace God gives Aggie Christians
is unique to no others. It surpasses all
understanding. It is because of this peace
and the knowledge of who Christ is that
we desire to share our message - Christ's
gospel.
Learning how to proclaim this mes
sage to non-Christians without offending
them or belittling them is a great chal
lenge to Aggie Christians. What is harder
still is proclaiming Christ in this age
while not living perfect lives. The cliche
"Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven"
remains true upon our campus. We don't
pretend to be any better than any other
Aggie. We just live under Christ's blood
which gives us God's grace.
So unified Aggie Christians organized
Resurrection Week to celebrate Easter and
to "convert" other people. What's the big
deal? What will be the impact on Texas
A&M? Truthfully, Aggieland will proba
bly not be radically different next week.
For the most part, those who attend yell
practice. Muster, and bonfire will still par
ticipate in those events. Also those who
believe that life revolves around the
Chicken, that protected sex before mar
riage is all right, that abortions are an ad
equate way to silence an "inconve
nience", and that homosexuality is an ap
propriate sexual orientation will not
change their ideas or lifestyles as well.
Aggie Christians don't believe what
people do is the problem. What Aggies
do is just a result of who they are on the
inside. All people are either dead spiritu
ally in their hearts or they are alive in
Christ. Non-Christians, being dead spiri
tually, just respond out of who they are.
The greatest impact on Texas A&M
will be on individuals and on the Christ
ian community. Individuals who prayed
to accept in their lives are now born again '
and truly alive spiritually. They now
have the wonderful peace of the Holy
Spirit and will never be the same again.;
They will not forget this week.
Resurrection Week will impact the
Christian community by making it realize
the size and scope of its mission. Aggie
Christians may continue to see that the
number of Christians that are willing to
stand for Christ is much larger than the
number of members of the Corps of
Cadets.
Only this Christian Community is the
keeper of THEE Spirit. Its motto also is
PER UNITATUM VIS - Through Unity
Strength. These unified Christians may
continue to share the gospel of Christ and
show Christ's love year round and not
just during Resurrection Week. The im
pact remains to be seen. One thing is
true, people that have Arisen will make a i
difference on this campus.
Dean is the Corps Chaplain. He is a senior
speech communication major.