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Vol. 92 No. 162 (6 pages)
1893 - A Century of Service to Texas A&M — 1993
Wednesday, June 23,1993
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Psychology professors criticize A&M tenure system
By michele brinkmann Instructors say criteria overemphasize research, devalue teaching
The Battalion
Some Texas A&M professors are criti
cizing the University's tenure policy, say
ing the system is unfair and unbalanced.
Dr. Wendy Stock, an assistant psychol
ogy professor, described A&M"s system
as "neanderthal and androcentric."
Stock was denied tenure in January by
a 12-0 vote in her departmental evaluation.
The tenure committee said she did not
have the type or number of publications
required to obtain tenure.
"The clinical area of psychology has a
bad history of accepting everyone for
tenure," Stock said. "However, no one
has been given tenure in this area since
1984."
Stock described the conflict between
devoting time to research and to teaching
in relation to acquiring tenure.
She said it is unfair to place more em
phasis on research at the expense of stu
dents.
"Fm critical of the (tenure) criteria be
cause it's not consistent with what serves
the University and students' needs," she
said. "I think the University gives lip ser
vice to the value of teaching, yet it does
not carry this out in its actions."
Dr. Karl G. Hursey, a former assistant
professor of psychology, was also denied
tenure this year by the University. He
said in a letter to former Dean of Liberal
Arts Daniel Fallon that "it appears that
the tenure decision was based solely on
research publications."
The head of the psychology depart
ment, Dr. Paul J. Wellman, said, "In the
Department of Psychology, the enhance
ment is now on research, which goes
along with teaching.
"Teaching plays a little role in the
process despite University statements
"I think the University
gives lip service to the
value of teaching, yet it
does not carry this out in its
actions."
-Dr. Wendy Stock,
asst, psychology professor
that teaching is emphasized and highly
valued," Hursey's letter stated. "I believe
that the combination of my research, teach
ing, and service records argue in favor of
granting tenure by the balanced criteria
promulgated by the University in its public
statements."
Senior Vice President and Provost Dr.
E. Dean Gage disagreed with criticism of
the tenure process.
"These statements are completely un
founded and unfair," he said. "There are
multiple steps in the process,"
According to A&M's Policy and Proce
dures Manual, tenure allows faculty mem
bers to continue in their academic positions
unless dismissed for a good cause.
A faculty member may be eligible for
tenure after five years of service to the
University. The tenure process begins
when the faculty member submits an ap
plication. The application is then re
viewed by several committees and offices,
ending with the Texas A&M Board of Re
gents, who "hold sole authority to confer
tenure." The three main categories in
which an applicant is evaluated are teach
ing, research and service.
The applicant is advised of the recom
mendations at each level of review, and
each college has its own set of criteria.
"The hallmark of the system is that
everyone knows how the process works
and is aware of the guidelines," Wellman
said. "At each stage the candidate knows
what is happening."
If a faculty member is denied tenure,
he or she has a year to find another job
while still employed at A&M.
"If someone is not granted tenure, the
faculty member is not cut off," Wellman
said. "They have one year to stay with the
University and look for another job,
which they normally find."
See Tenure/Page 2
Pat Nixon dies of lung cancer
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON - For 53
years, she was the loyal and un
complaining partner in Richard
Nixon's triumphs and tribula
tions. And for nearly two decades,
as Nixon himself noted, "she
would have to share my exile."
Pat Nixon died of lung cancer
at the couple's New Jersey home
Tuesday. Her husband and
daughters were at her side.
The 81-year-old former first
lady had suffered two strokes and
numerous lung infections since
Nixon's resignation from the
White House in 1974 but she
bounced back each time. A heavy
smoker at one time, she was diag
nosed earlier this year as having
lung cancer.
Her death came a day after the
Nixons observed their wedding
anniversary at their four-story
townhouse in Park Ridge, N.J.
"Mrs. Nixon was awake yester
day and knew it was their an
niversary," said Kathy O'Connor,
Nixon's aide. "The girls were
there and they looked at anniver
sary cards and beautiful flowers
that had arrived."
Mrs. Nixon later lapsed into a
coma and died about 5:45 a.m.
President Clinton telephoned
Nixon to express his sympathy
and calls and telegrams flooded
the Nixon office in Woodcliff Lake,
N.J. They came from such diverse
people as Ted Williams, the base
ball Hall of Earner and a Nixon
friend; Pat Buchanan, the conserv
ative columnist; Roger Williams,
the pianist; Mike Gminsky, a pro
fessional basketball player for the
Charlotte Hornets; and prominent
Democrat Pamela Harriman, now
ambassador to France.
"I'm very sad," Clinton told re
porters. "They had a very long
and very close marriage. This
must be a very difficult time for
him. The American people appre
ciate the dignity with which she
served as first lady."
Mrs. Nixon will be buried Sat
urday in California where she and
Nixon met, outside the house
where Nixon was born. The Rev.
Billy Graham, a longtime family
friend, will fly in from Paris to
conduct the service at the Nixon
Library and Birthplace in Yorba
Linda, Calif.
Former presidents Reagan and
Ford, who live in California, said
they will attend. Former President
Bush said, "Pat Nixon was a lady
— a real lady — whom we all
loved and respected." Bush was
not attending the funeral because
of a death in Barbara Bush's family.
John Taylor, director of the li
brary, said, "Mrs. Nixon was
tough, compassionate, witty,
down to earth, infinitely resource
ful and, most of all, a woman of
truly infinite heart who touched
everyone she met with her joy
and love of life."
During Nixon's turbulent rise
in politics, through the dark years
of Watergate and the pain of
Nixon's forced resignation, Pat
Nixon was at her husband's side,
never showing in public how
much it hurt.
"The resignation was harder on
her than me, because she thought it
was a mistake to resign," Nixon
said later. "She thought we should
fight to the end."
United We Stand, America targets students
By LAURA HALEY
The Battalion
This summer the national United We Stand,
America (UWSA) organization established a College
Task Force and a hotline in Dallas to promote stu
dent involvement in state, county and local politics.
UWSA is a grass-roots political party started by
former presidential candidate Ross Perot.
Darla Kreller, northeast region states and Texas
coordinator of UWSA, said the hotline number (1-
800-333-USWA) is available for anyone interested in
knowing about the organization and how to form a
chapter at their university.
No fee is required to join, and students do not
have to be members of the national organization, al
though it is recommended, she said.
"It the youth of our country become involved in
public service, we can address the serious problems
facing our nation," Kreller said.
Texas A&M established a student UWSA chapter
in March and currently has approximately 100 mem
bers. The chapter has already sponsored a candidate
forum for the recent special election to fill Lloyd
Bentsen's senate seat.
Dr. Ron Darby, faculty adviser for the A&M stu
dent chapter, said they have not had much time to
recruit new members, but he expects the member
ship at A&M to grow.
Brent Sumner, a senior business analysis major, is
a member of the national UWSA organization and
plans to join the A&M chapter. He said it is impor
tant for students to become involved in politics.
"United We Stand, America is an awakening of
what's going on with the economy and what's hap
pening," he said.
The student chapter will grow because many peo
ple are disenchanted with traditional political par
ties, he said.
Dana Williams, former president of Aggie De
mocrats, said she does not believe the group will af
fect membership in Aggie Democrats or College Re
publicans.
"Most people involved in Aggie Democrats or Re
publicans are not interested," she said.
But, Sumner said the conservative attitude at
A&M will contribute to the growth of the chapter.
"A&M is very conservative, but it has a good
chance [for UWSA growth] because a lot of people are
conservative enough to believe Perot is right," he said.
Sumner said he believes in the organization be
cause of Perot's stance on many issues. "I am a sup
porter of Mr. Perot," he said. "I think he stands for a
lot of things the country needs most that people are
not aware of."
USWA has established student chapters at Har
vard University, Southern Illinois University at Car-
bondale. University of Kansas, University of South
ern California, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
and University of Texas.
Looking for clues
University Police Detective Sergeant David
Villareal (right) shines a flashlight for Detective
Sergeant Will Scott as they searen for fingerprints
BILLY MORAN/The Battalion
on a door that was pried open during an
attempted robbery yesterday morning at the Reed
McDonald building.
Inside
Sports
•Downs and Deware destined
for demolition
•Rush: Looting and rioting
have no place in sports
Page 3
Opinion
•EditoriahTruth in Savings bill
a boon to private citizens
•Column: Dickerson argues
for drug legalization
Page 5
Program helps new Aggies adjust to college
•Wednesday: partly cloudy
with scattered mainly
afternoon showers Highs
in the upper 80s
•Forecast for Thursday:
Mostly cloudy with a
chance of mainly
afternoon showers or
storms. Highs in the 90s
•Extended forecast: Partly
cloudy with a slight
chance of afternoon rain
By LISA ELLIOTT
The Battalion
Hordes of new students have
descended upon the Texas A&M
campus, equipped with maps and
closely followed by wide-eyed
parents.
Summer orientation conferences
began June 1, and almost 6,500 new
freshmen and 2,500 transfer stu
dents will visit the campus and reg
ister for fall semester classes during
the summer, said Brian Hicks,
member of the executive committee
of the Aggie Orientation Leader
Program.
The goal of the Orientation
Program is to help ease the transi
tion for new students and their
families from high school to col
lege, he said.
The Orientation Leader Pro
gram, which is sponsored by Stu
dent Services, is made up of 225
upperclassmen volunteers who
were chosen from about 1,000 ap
plicants based on interviews.
"They were asked questions
about how they would handle
certain situations and then given
a number score," Hicks said.
Those with the highest scores
were chosen.
The Orientation Program con
sists of activities such as tours, en
ergizers, ice cream socials and
help sessions in which students
can get help from Orientation
Leaders (O.L.s) in making out
their class schedule.
There is also an "insights" ses
sion during which students ask
O.L.s questions about everything
from dating in College Station to
classes, Hicks said.
In addition to student pro
grams, O.L.s host parent socials,
Hicks said. "This is an opportuni
ty for parents to get away from
the hustle and bustle and meet
with other parents and O.L.s."
Laurel Leszinske, a new stu
dent from Houston, said she real
ly enjoyed the energizer Monday
night. "It was a good way to meet
people," she said. "I came by my
self and didn't know anybody."
She said as a result of all the O.L.
programs she has made several
new acquaintances.
Kimberly Spencer, a new stu
dent from San Marcos, said she is
really excited about attending the
conference and A&M.
Her mother, Kathy Spencer, is
attending the conference with her.
"We love it here," she said. "We
didn't get to attend the ice cream
social because we got here too
late." But, she said, they are plan
ning on attending the tour and as
many of the other programs as
they can.
Scott Votaw, orientation leader
executive, said many new stu
dents who attend the programs
approach him and personally
thank him for the help.
Votaw said the orientation
leader program is a very special
program because it "helps keep
A&M the friendly place that it is."
He said new students are greeted
immediately by O.L.s when they
arrive on campus and have a
friendly first impression of A&M
that lasts throughout their college
experience.
Tomorrow in
Feature:
Taylor Publishing
Co. presents
communications
workshop at A&M
Review:
7 What's Love
Got To Do With
It/ — the life of
Tina Turner
Angela Bassett plays Tina.
Review:
The film and soundtrack
of 'The Last Action Hero'
-Arnold Schwarzenegger
stars in a fast-moving flick