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Page 13
Tuesday • September 10, 1996
!Rs’ publicity stunts abuse privileges
Editorial
A\
embers of the College Re
publicans must really be
happy with the First
icndment.
They cited it in defense of their
ially condescending fliers two
irsago. They held it in front of
mselves like a two-hundred-
tr-old bulletproof vest in de-
iseof their ridiculous
draising letter last year.
But the organization’s latest rnani-
tation of its love for free speech is
re mundane.
As a matter of fact, it happens every se-
ster. The College Republicans is a bit too ex-
sive with those darn fliers.
Most of the fliers have all but disappeared
w, but last week the prob-
was at an all-time
;h. Kiosk after kiosk
sdraped with alter-
ting red
blue
rs pro
ving the
lup.
Myim-
ssion was
it nothing
e was going
during the
tire week ex
pt for the College Republicans. I
no fliers for other campus orga-
tations. No concert promotions,
it even invitations to donate plas-
for$40 a week.
When the group’s fliers announce a
[edfic program, presentation or pub-
service cause, their abundance is un-
irstandable.
The ones advertising the upcoming Dan
ayle speech were a little numerous, but
[rgivable because they were advertising a
edfic program.
But many of the fliers were simple, basic and
§ Columnist
Shannon Halbrook
Junior English major
purposeless. “Pro Republican,” they
said. That was all.
Does the Col
lege Republicans
think that by
blanketing the
campus with its
name, it’ll attract
more people?
The group is
the largest stu
dent organization at Texas A&M,
with more than 2,000 members.
It’s safe to say that few people
on campus haven’t heard of it. And any in
terested fresh
men can
learn
about it
at Open
House —
vv-
why couldn’t the College Republicans wait
until then to attract new members?
The fliers are like McDonald’s commercials.
Everybody’s heard of McDonald’s. Everybody’s
been to McDonald’s. A lot of college students
eat Chicken McNuggets three meals a day, only
varying their sauce selection. But McDonald’s
still blows millions on advertis
ing despite the fact that
its ads don’t enlighten
anyone of the “restau
rant’s” existence.
Similarly, the College
Republicans could easily
lay off and let other, less
er-known groups have the
free publicity the kiosks
and bulletin boards offer.
The strange, tiny groups with only a pres
ident, vice president and treasurer deserve
the space just as much as the College Re
publicans.
lust because the Republicans have the
money, numbers and resources to put up
thousands of copies of a flier doesn’t
mean they should.
But we can hardly expect the College
Republicans to limit its fliers voluntarily.
And as for a mandatory solution,
the only other option is to cap the
number of fliers each organization can
put up. Unfortunately, if the University tried
to do this, the College Republicans would cry
infringement of free speech and distribute
copies of "Common Sense.”
The College Republicans is well-known
for its ability to bury other groups by its
sheer size. Democratic groups on campus,
for instance, have never had a chance
against the GOP juggernaut.
But they should still be allowed to try.
The right to speak freely should be guaran
teed to everyone, even groups who aren’t tacky
enough to invoke it for every questionable cause.
By abusing the First Amendment, the Col
lege Republicans cancel its benefits for
everyone else.
The Battalion
Editorials Board
Established in 1893
Editorials appearing in The Battalion reflect the
views of the editorials board members. They do
not necessarily reflect the opinions of other Bat
talion staff members, the Texas A&M student
body, regents, administration, faculty or staff.
Columns, guest columns, cartoons and letters
express the opinions of the authors.
Contact the opinion editor for information on
submitting guest columns.
Michael Landauer
Editor in Chief
Amy Collier
Executive Editor
Gretchen Perrenot
Executive Editor
Heather Pace
Opinion Editor
Healthy Thinking
Required health insurance for in
ternational students provides bene-
When most Texas A&M stu
dents get sick or meet with an acci
dent, they can just go to the doctor
and not worry about paying the
bill. But for the approximately
3,000 international students at
A&M, this might not be an option.
Coming to the United States as
an exchange student can bring a
tangle of red tape and staggering
medical costs if the student ever
needs emergency care.
Beginning in Spring 1997, A&M
will require all international stu
dents to have comprehensive
medical insurance. If a student is
not already covered, the University
will offer its own plan, with cover
age totaling up to $67,500, for
about $476 per year.
Some shortsighted students may
grumble about having even more
money tacked onto their fee slips.
But the requirement is for their
benefit and is the right decision.
As non-U.S. citizens, they are
not eligible for Medicaid or any
other federal assistance.
If a student needs medical care,
then, this leaves no one to help
foot the bill.
Obtaining insurance from the
University lets students know ex
actly what kind of service they’ll
receive. With A&M’s health plan,
students are guaranteed good cov
erage and fair prices.
The administration — especial
ly Vice President for Student Affairs
J. Malon Southerland — should be
commended for wanting to pro
vide international students with
this inexpensive insurance.
The University should also be
appreciated for recognizing the di
versity that these students bring to
A&M. A similar version of this pro
posal has already been imple
mented at many top universities,
and having the same requirement
keeps A&M competitive in its ef
forts to attract quality students
from around the world.
For a relatively small amount
of money, they will have the
comfort of knowing that no mat
ter what happens to them,
they’ll be financially secure.
/isitation hours insult
Columnist
Jon Apgar
Sophomore journalism
major
Ik T early all stu-
|\| dents wel-
1 »come college
^sa break from the
'es they have been
|rced to obey at
me,
In college, people
:ides which morals
:y will follow and
ike each decision
iependent of
ental authority.
Freedom is certain-
n advantage to living away
nhome. It is an important part
[rowing up.
For the most part, Texas A&M
iws students the freedom to
lose as they will, as long as they
prepared to take responsibility
Itheir decisions. However, this
pt the case for visitation
irs, which must be abolished.
That is, unless it is three min-
s after curfew and your RA.
pens to be in the hall of your
dorm when you are
sneaking your girlfriend
or boyfriend towards the
exit. If that happens, you
are guilty of the heinous
crime of breaking visita
tion hours. The punish
ment? A parental-like
lecture and the equivalent
of a slap on the wrist.
The University might
as well tell us not to eat
cookies and spoil our
dinner or tell us to get
rid of those earrings and
shave those hippie sideburns.
Almost every student living
on campus is 18 and a legal
adult. In fact, I know a few who
are 21 or older.
Can you believe that it is against
the rules for someone 21 years of
age to have a member of the oppo
site sex spend the night in their
room? A room that costs them the
equivalent of an apartment but has
one-fifth the space?
students’ intelligence
The reason given for having vis
itation hours is so one roommate
will not be bothered when the oth
er one has his or her better half in
the room. But what is the differ
ence if that is at one o’clock in the
morning or two o’clock in the
morning?
Roommates should work out
between themselves the best
arrangement. It should not be
up to the University to decree
what time is best to rid dorms of
the opposite sex.
Most roommates are flexible
and are willing to compromise
in terms of dealing with visitors
and guests.
Negotiating and compromis
ing are two important responsi
bilities learned while becoming
an adult. If the University let
students decide the arrange
ments for visitation, we would
be better off. Instead, students
must constantly break the rules,
resulting in headaches for every
body involved.
Moreover, coed dorms have no
visitation hours, provided the resi
dents vote and agree to that rule.
Do these dorms consist of
more mature and more respon
sible residents?
If some dorms are allowed to
have unlimited visitation, then
all dorms should be allowed to
vote on it. Most students, regard
less of sex, are in favor of being
treated as adults who are capable
of making competent decisions.
It is not solely a question of be
ing able to have a member of the
opposite sex in your room past a
certain hour. It is a question of
responsibility and individual
freedom at a University which
receives a large portion of our
savings accounts each year.
For now, I’ll have to keep sneak
ing people past my R.A. at two o’
clock until someone at this
University realizes students are
mature individuals.
ound up on-campus vendors into one location
Columnist
Mason Jackson
Senior marketing
major
\ h yeah. They want you. They pant from
■ behind the posters. They are drooling on
y the newspapers. During the first two
?ks of every semester, the direct marketers
are out in full force.
And they are every
where. These mar
keters cause more of a
disruption to student
life than is necessary
and should be concen
trated in one location.
Though the Univer
sity regulates where
vendors can set up
their blockades and
pop-tents, they seem
to have been regulated
into every major
estrian thoroughfare on campus,
ifter all, who can make it from the Chem-
/ building to Harrington without signing
or their third Citibank (we’ll give credit to
rpet rock) Visa card?
ruly, though, how many coupon books
one person use, especially when most of
coupons contain the phrase, “Ten percent
vith the purchase of 17 at regular price?”
Ind how about the fun new tradition at
1, running the MSC’s red-ass gauntlet of
speople who stand in your way until you
hnce them you don’t speak English?
lere’s a possible solution that will make
|s>e salespeople less obtrusive but still
Dveniently available: Vendors desiring to
ddle their wares on campus should be
ought together into what we will call the
rralO’Vendors.”
hat way, students will be unimpeded as they
o take care of all the minor details involved in
ting a semester (guess who was in line at
ung, Transit and Transportation Services
n they decided 46,000 commuter permits
htbe too many for three parking spaces?)
Salespeople will still be available for those
in need of their services and all at one conve
nient location.
I would suggest the large hole between
Evans Library and the Commons.
For those of you who don’t know, that is
the soon-to-be-completed-for-your-grand-
children parking garage.
But I certainly can’t blame the vendors for
being overzealous.
There is abundant money up for grabs on
campus, whether it’s Daddy’s money left
over from frat dues or loan money you really
didn’t need.
Also, college students aren’t known to be
the most discriminating of consumers. As evi
dence, people need to look no further than
their officially licensed A&M futon couch.
The only foreseeable problem is the
volatility of the “Corral.”
There are going to be a lot of profit-hun
gry people sharing a confined space with a
bulldozer. What if something happens?
For example, what if someone from TCA
Cable TV accidentally knocks a column of
complimentary cookies onto the table of the
Greater Brazos Valley Area Carpet Dealers
Association?
Things could get ugly; and if they do, my
money is on the carpet people.
Of course, the “Corral O’ Vendors” is just a
temporary solution, since it will eventually be
full of concrete. What do we do then? That’s a
problem for another generation.
Cadets devoid of
military bearing
I am writing in response to
your front page article on Sept. 6,
“Cadets deal with change.”
Although I am not in the
Corps of Cadets, I am a Midship
man from the class of 1995 at the
United States Naval Academy. I
cannot believe the lack of pro
fessionalism demonstrated by
many members of the ROTC di
visions which Aggies refer to as
the Corps of Cadets.
Commandant Hopgood is to
be commended for his recent pol
icy alleviating the “chopping” or
running requirement of freshman
students through the quad when
they are in fact en route to classes.
Education is Texas A&M’s top
priority and any action which
has the potential to be a liability
has no place.
It appears, however, that
many members find it hard to
adjust.
Although cadets claim there is
no “official conflict,” I have per
sonally witnessed an attitude of
dissension and lack of military
bearing in the Corps that has ex
tended beyond this one event.
It is an attitude of narcissism
that regularly places tradition
above the military genre and
members of the Corps above
other Aggies.
Make no mistake, tradition
and pride are tremendous assets
of all Aggies.
Unfortunately, however, tradi
tion and pride are not the fortes
of military forces.
I am not only a former Naval
officer, but I am now also a civil
ian. I expect to be treated and
greeted as such by every member
of the Corps.
Remember, the top three
members of the United States
Armed Forces are civilians, not
military brass. Perhaps as many of
these attitudes of elitism diminish
so will many of the negative opin
ions about the Corps.
General Hopgood, your policy
is not only an attempt at improve
ment, but is also a lesson for all
cadets — enforce it with a strict
hand. Freshmen who still run
should be doing so to benefit
themselves, not to keep a tradi
tion alive or to impress their up
perclassmen.
As for the seniors who are
running, you should remember
that the main principle of the
Corps is leadership by example.
The only example you have set
is one of dissension — how em
barrassing.
Leance J. Miller, III
Class of ’96
Lower standards
hurt the University
There is a simple solution to
many of the problems that plague
A&M: Quit letting in underquali
fied students.
In its quest to become a
“world-class” university, A&M is
creating its own obstacles.
Not only is the university ad
mitting people with poor SAT
scores and low high school rank,
it is going out of its way to do it.
Expanding the summer provi
sional program was a poor choice
and a waste of money.
The admissions department
claims it turns away qualified ap
plicants, but I have yet to see any
decline in class size or rise in the
caliber of students.
The extraneous students ad
mitted place a strain on an al
ready overburdened system,
contributing to housing and
parking problems.
Before raising tuition and fees
yet again, A&M should analyze
how much money it is spending
because of its practically open ad
missions policy.
I’m not asking A&M to be
come the next Rice, but a little se
lectivity wouldn’t hurt.
Christina Weston
Class of’97
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