Page 9
Friday • December 6, 1996
i ad). This rate app!; ;
at an additional Sty
end to qualify tor k:i
GUF Proposal
Students present the only outlet for funds
too M MATE
JT
, At
Staff Writer
)eded. Own room in
s from campus! $30fc
Brandon
Hausenfluck
Senior international
studies major
ere we go again. It
seems like every
time we turn
d, administrators
ying to squeeze
udent wanted 3bdm Dr4 money OLlt of US
utilities W/D. fencedyrJcjljrts at Texas A&M.
tate. 3 bdrm/2 bait itipn increased this se-
shuttle Wolf PenCra gJ er from $30 tO $32
>om. fenced backyard T Semester hour — and
bills Available oecemte ® keep increasing
. itil it reaches $40 per
te to share very large . 1
Hit. w/d, szta-mo in 2000.
possibly negotiable C: Wld the Texas A&M
ded for Spnng 97. 0,' Jfc of Regents will vote
niities Freebuspass ( yet another General Use Fee (GUF) increase
^ PPII .pr* mib time in January. If approved, the fee will
-SHHHI^Bthe GUF from $24 to $34 per semester hour,
same-day4 re ample, the increase will cost a student en-
Ued for 12 hour an extra $120 per
isive Driving & Drivers' tru ster.The revenue generated by the increase
m-gpmh U produce the money needed to give the facul-
1-2 30pm), satfeamjx: ^d staff at A&M the pay raises they deserve.
b T ta TiTrr or9lt n ever ceases to amaze me that Aggies go
o min early (cpon,crip an uproar after being asked for more mon-
i? tour Big i2_onMr^M. ^ () j- u j s on a limited budget, but
s galore * MajorMUD Fr- T ’ . °
ccounts! InternetAccei; atGOeSHt 80001 tO Stop US trom going OUt
lem taking three nights a week or blowing huge
TRAVEL counts of money to embellish our wardrobes.
Students on this campus need to rest as-
leed foreign language 7;:'Ip
> this X-mas breakieenilgl
>895 and up 1-0OO-74' ':.-
Northern New Mexico
ad River, Taos&AngdFfi;
-8916, ask for John.
Service
ng tennis & racquet
sured that their money is well-spent by the
administration. Rising operating costs, infla
tion and decreasing state funding are just
some of the reasons why students are asked
for a little more support.
One major misconception
students have about A&M’s fi
nances is that the money we pay
each semester for tuition, fees,
etc., makes up the better part of
the budget. Not true at all. Of the
University’s total annual budget
of $648,276,211 for fiscal year
1996, only $46,367,277 came from tuition and
fees. That’s not even 14 percent of the budget.
This campus has been ranked as one of
the most efficient in the United States by
several publications. BusinessWeek deter
mined that Texas A&M is the best buy of
American colleges when evaluating quality
vs. price. We pay less for tuition and fees
than 75 percent of our peers.
If the Board does not approve the GUF in
crease in January, A&M’s academic infrastruc
ture and ability to recruit and retain faculty
and staff will suffer greatly. Yes, $10 is a steep
increase, but we might as well get it out of the
way. The fact is, A&M faculty and staff are un
derpaid, overworked and in need of some im
mediate gratitude.
The student body needs to rest assured that
President Bowen and the administration are
not suggesting the increase for fun. And it’s
commendable that they are keeping payroll a
high priority. “Some staff members barely have
enough money to put
bacon on the table,”
said Vice President for
Finance Bill Krumm.
This GUF increase is
vital to Texas A&M if we
I plan on being competi
tive with other first-
class institutions. Our only*alternative is to not
increase fees, thereby contributing to the deval
uation of a Texas A&M education for our
younger brothers and sisters and our children.
College life is full of sacrifices. If our utility
bills are too high, we turn off the air conditioner.
If gas is too expensive, we car pool. And if pitch
ers of beer are $4 at The Chicken and $3.75 at
Fitzwilly’s, we go to Fitzwilly’s. Students are pro
fessionals when it comes to cutting corners.
Although the increase seems like a stout
one, Texas A&M administrators need and
would appreciate support from the student
body on this issue. And although money is
less than plentiful to college students, it is im
portant that they choose to put their money
where it is needed most.
The Battalion
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.
Editorials Board
Michael Landauer
Editor in Chief
Amy Collier
Executive Editor
Gretchen Perrenot
Executive Editor
Heather Pace
Opinion Editor
Student Senate
After asking for student opinion, the
Senate voted against it.
rastic fee increase will break the students
Night News Editor
otball rings, 90-'94.
TRAVEL
Helen Clancy
Junior English major
ijjMMBiB^net Fee — Queen of
it to lose weight Meta:; generics, Goddess of
!3-3307 - B-c s:a: 1 Frugality. Her blue
n/weiisprings idiwhite label beckons
flooded for Saturdayfc.y shopping cart. If the
e Dakota long bed. rs ; . Oper semester hour
'in pay $25. Can 823'' crease of the General
CMT463 Please cal ml,-, . ,
^■Fee is approved,
nit Lee and I will be
fl first name basis.
^^ B(iii ^ i ^ i ^Bor students who de-
;ne on the predictabil-
tuition an( l fees
plotting their budgets, this abrupt in-
Bse will leave limited options. They cannot
Blow a fee hike of this magnitude, no mat-
tftow justified the cadse.
In 1997, a student taking a 15-hour course
all will pay an additional $150 for the GUF
cfease. In broke student terms, that’s two
ofiths’ worth of groceries.
TUB r *S# an y students cannot rely on parental
ipport, and financial aid can be a double-
laed sword. For instance, students who
ofk full-time all summer to save money for
e[fall semester risk losing eligibility for fi-
cial aid. When this financial aid is de-
it is difficult to come up with adequate
ncial resources. Sometimes apartment
es have already been signed, and an
ipt increase of $150 per semester makes
a big impact on students who must subsist
on savings.
The GUF increase is expected to generate
$11 million for pay raises, which will un
doubtedly help raise the quality of educa
tion at Texas A&M.
Presently, 37.5 percent of
Texas A&M employees make less
than $20,000 a year. The reason
behind the increase is highly jus
tified, but it does not ease the
burden on the captive student.
The problem with the increase
lies not with its purpose, but with the size of the
increment. Although t-sips presently pay a $32
GUF per credit hour, they will only shoulder a
$2 increase in 1997. Adjusting to a mere $2 in
crease is much easier, even if their fees have
been consistently higher than at Texas A&M.
Because Texas A&M ranks ninth in tuition
and fees when compared to other Big 12
Universities, students have learned to expect
reasonable fees and gradual increases. Low
cost is one of A&M’s main attractions.
However, the disparity between our fees
and fees at other universities is not an ex
cuse to devastate students with a 42 percent
increase. Students depend on consistency,
and an increase of this proportion cannot be
planned for financially.
When tuition began to increase this year
by $2 per credit hour, students could plan
ahead for the rising expenses. If the General
Use Fee had been increasing all along in
smaller amounts, the burden on students
would be much milder.
Administrators
claim that they have
no choice but to turn
to the students. This
is understandable,
considering that only
one-third of the
state’s endowment
goes to the Texas A&M University System,
while two-thirds goes to the t.u. System.
However, some students have seen the Gen
eral Use Fee triple since they enrolled here, and
like an endless cycle, the excuses never change.
“Consumer-funded education” is the state Leg
islature’s special way of passing the buck.
The increase might put a Band-Aid on fac
ulty and staff raises, but in the same breath, it
creates undue financial burdens on students
who depend on college loans and part-time
jobs to make ends meet. Perhaps administra
tors don’t realize the impact this decision will
have on these students.
Someday, I’ll be able to afford putting
more than two dollars of gas in my car at a
time, but until then, Janet Lee and I have a
good thing going.
The Student Senate joined a
long line of Aggie jokes Wednes
day night just by being itself.
In a move that should embar
rass students more than this
year’s football team, the Senate
voted 36-17 to not even discuss
implementation of run-offs for
yell leader elections.
Last spring, when the Senate
could not decide on whether to
have run-off elections for yell
leaders, it threw the issue out to
the students through a referen
dum, asking to know what the
students wanted.
Not surprisingly, after a year
of irresponsible behavior on the
part of the yell leaders, a record
number of students showed up
to the polls. Of the 10,000 stu
dents who voted, 62 percent fa
vored a run-off.
Head yell leader Chris Torn
says this is only because stu
dents were not educated on the
issue, which he might also use
to explain the dismal 17 percent
of the votes he received (10 per
cent lower than in his victory as
a junior).
Although calling the elec
torate ignorant lacks any sem
blance of validity, it was an ef
fective way for Torn and the
Senate to justify maintaining the
status quo.
The system used to elect yell
leaders rewards groups that orga
nize and stand behind a few can
didates. “Independent” candi
dates stand almost no chance of
winning, unless, of course, 10,000
voters show up to the polls and
drown out the Corps bloc.
Although the Corps deserves
credit for producing many great
campus leaders, it should not be
given a corner on the market.
Run-off elections could have giv
en students a chance to find the
most qualified candidates.
Although the system does not
work, this does not translate into
a personal attack on this year’s
new yell leaders.
Every year groups change, and
new members are often unfairly
burdened with the defense of
past actions.
Similarly, there are senators
who deserve credit for speaking
up and trying to represent stu
dents. Unfortunately, the group
speaks as a whole, and what it
has said should anger every stu
dent on this campus. The Senate
has said that it does not trust
the people it represents.
The Senate could learn a lot
from Carl Baggett, student body
president.
He says he does not just con
sider himself the president of
Student Government, but of the
entire student population. But
padding resumes seems like a
more prevalent motivation for
many of the senators.
Perhaps the members of the
Senate should grow up and real
ize that this is not like student
council in high school (well,
sometimes it’s not).
Occasionally the Senate has a
real chance to effect change.
It had a chance Wednesday
night. All it had to do was imple
ment what the overwhelming
majority of the students said
they wanted.
But the senators couldn’t
even do that.
This spring, many of these
senators will campaign to hold
onto their jobs.
They may tell potential voters
they will represent them, but
their actions prove that they are
not interested in representation.
It would be nice if a few stu
dents would emerge out of the
“ignorant” masses to change that
— and a whole lot more.
.A. BEACH
BOAT
V WEST
egal ambiguity says aloha to
ay couples wanting to marry
lor a brief moment, it seemed as if
Hawaii might have an extra tourist
attraction in addition to its majestic,
^w/^'itfjdi-spewing volcanoes.
Pn Wednesday, a Hawaii state judge
nvamkusmif* sued a ruling considered landmark by
and apocalyptic by others. Hawaii
'(rcuit Court Judge Kevin Chang found
It there was no “compelling state in
rest” against allowing gay couples to
1 l|rry and receive federal and state ben-
f Ip Its traditionally reserved for traditional
, lie-female unions.
-j IBut then, almost as quickly as the deci-
ItT In was announced, Hawaii’s Deputy Attorney
[yl 11V wieral Rick Eichor was granted a stay on the rul-
' 1. The stay will forbid gay couples from getting
until the ruling comes on the state’s appeal,
ir'l |\ji I The Hawaii Supreme Court may not get to it until
1)8. Until then, the decision will be in legal limbo
pnd gay couples in marital purgatory,
lut even after this most recent development
le, interested parties were either hailing this as a
r time of tolerance — or the dawn of depravity.
Infortunately, they’re both wrong.
i jcven if the decision is upheld by the Hawaii
OCfOy fcreme Court, it isn’t that monumental. On its
■n, it will affect only a limited number of people.
i , iThanks to the Defense of Marriage Act, which
iUCf€.' Iped through Congress and was signed by Presi-
fnt Clinton at lightning speed, not a single state
.Pace ' fill be under any obligation to comply with Hawaii’s
ling— or recognize gay couples that hold a mar-
f RATION-) |age license issued in Hawaii.
"The real question, then, is not whether Hawaii
go ahead and extend the right of marriage to gay
pies — it’s whether states will choose to go along
h Hawaii’s ruling when it comes.
d it doesn’t look like they will,
ccording to numbers compiled by the Lambda
al Defense and Education Fund, a New York
rights group, 15 state legislatures have already
sed bills specifically stating that couples who
|e married in other states will not be recognized.
Far from encouraging gays and mobilizing them
earch of their rights, this decision will probably
se “family values” Republicans to react against
mosexuals more strongly.
"No reasonable American will support this ex-
Columnist
Shannon Halbrook
Junior English major
endless
owand
• Radio
e seeking
j religion
yles.
Iding-
by/p#
)313.
treme effort to sanctify and sanction
something which is sinful and unnatural,”
said Rev. Lewis Sheldon, chair of the Tra
ditional Values Coalition.
Similarly, California state Sen. William
Knight will sponsor a bill that would deny
recognition to gay couples married in
Hawaii. The bill was already defeated ear
lier this year; Knight and his Republican
buddies in the California Legislature just
feel threatened enough by the possible ef
fects of the possible Hawaii ruling that
they’ve decided to push it again.
On the other side of the aisle, Alan
Klein, a spokesman for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance
Against Defamation, said the decision is historic.
“This is an exciting milestone and an absolutely
historic moment,” Klein said. “This is completely
historic, a momentous decision,”
Unfortunately, it’s not as historic as he thinks.
And it’s not as disastrous as Sheldon thinks.
If the Hawaii Supreme Court upholds Chang’s de
cision, it would be great if it were to directly lead to
gay couples being allowed to marry in all 50 states.
But it won’t. If few other states pick up on Hawaii’s
initiative — and ban gay marriage — Hawaii could
become a haven for gay couples. “A lot of lesbian
and gay couples are looking to go to Hawaii at this
point.” Klein said.
What’s more, Hawaii could move away from its
traditional role of “nice tropical island place for fam
ilies to visit when their sons are in third grade” to a
horribly stereotyped place that elicits cries of
“What? Take my kids there? With men hugging men
and women kissing women?” at the family dinner
table whenever the island’s name is mentioned.
Of course, it’s also possible that opponents of ho
mosexual marriage would be happy about this; many
times in history it has been argued that minorities
should just all be sent to an island of their own.
There’s nothing really wrong with this, but it
would definitely alter Hawaii’s image to the rest of
the nation’s image of Hawaii. And that’s not the
way it should be.
Equality for homosexuals will come, but it will
be a much more difficult struggle than this. Nei
ther side should overreact quite yet — and no one
should think that a Hawaii court decision will un
dermine America’s sexual status quo.
I Mail
dates who crave to live the tradi
tion and “yell the hell” to rid the
12th Man of their recent inabili
ty to yell.
Wendy Stewart
Class of ’97
Unmotivated yell
leaders silence Ags
Our yell leaders are the em
bodiment of the spirit of Aggies.
We look to them to coordinate
and guide our yells. That much is
obvious. What should also be ob
vious is this lack of leadership in
the past years.
I was extremely disappointed
in the performance of 4 of our 5
yell leaders at the t.u. game. We
Aggies, who are known for our
noise and spirit, stood silent for
most of the game. During the nu
merous timeouts we listened to
the t-sips excitement.
We do not elect the yell lead
ers to watch the game, which is
all they seem to be doing on the
field. We elect them to lead us
and our football team in over
whelming spirit.
Keep this in mind when elect
ing next year’s yell leaders. Just
because they have the right name
or family tradition does not mean
they have the ability to lead our
great student body.
Instead, vote for those candi-
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