Pag (
nesday • February Ij i
e Ted
The Battalion
Page 11
Wednesday • February 12, 1997
hould A&M have yell leader run-offs?
II leader Gary Kipe and Student Senator Javier Martinez debate the issue
Gary Kipe
Junior
agricultal development
major
hose who lead, , r—
serve. All lead- Guest Columnist
ers are ser-
of those who
end on them for
ction, especially
leaders,
yell leader
uld reflect the atti-
|es, values and
gswe love most
ut our school. Yell
iers are servants
(id reflections of the
It Man. We are di-
ly responsible to
students.
he power of the students’ votes establishes the
libility of the office of yell leader. Without the
ients’ support, the office of yell leader is not le-
nate. Today, we, the student body, have the
nee to directly impact the future of Texas A&M
iversity. Today, we, the student body, can vote to
e yell leader run-offs.
he students of A&M have come together in
true spirit of the 12th Man to stand, not at
(tball games, but for the principles and
ials that form the basis of the University we
e. This is why 63percent of last year’s voters
jisi votes in favor of yell leader run-offs. This is
T QQly 5,470 people signed a petition to put this
I ✓ 7ilue back on the ballot. This is why we care —
ftcause we believe in the fundamental values
Amei ica this year, University. We believe in integrity, fair-
[ss and service. We now have a chance to cast
ositive vote to make a positive difference.
[Yell leader run-offs are democratic in principle
id consistent in practice. Having the yell leaders
e mn-off would encourage greater voter par-
lipation in the run-offs that are already being
[Id for other positions. These run-offs will make
[eryone’s vote count more, making the yell lead
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“ ” . , , ers a more accurate reflection of the student body.
2 am player who S S«!f ^ year the studem body voles in mnoffs f ’ r
ie student body president, Class Council officers,
rlA officers and OCA officers, but are denied the
ipportunity to vote for yell leaders. With your vote,
r e can create consistency in this process.
So, vote. Vote and persevere because persever-
»n i 111 he top U- 'llt 31106 anc ' testing of our faith builds character
i the nation. ' creates unity for our campus. Stand up and be
i t j-, j s i ecr uiting clal Make a positive difference. The 12th Man
? even more talentec S 1110 ! be heard if it does not speak. And, as a yell
-j sa j c j leader, I know there is nothing more powerful than
the deafening roar of the 12th Man.
Y Aisjpf ifTfmick advertising wastes
,Wl\m u d en t s time and money
oday the student body will de
cide the issue of run-off elec
tions for the position of yell
leader. But before the votes are
cast, it is important to set
a few things straight for
the record.
Contrary to
popular belief, the
Student Senate did
in fact consider a
bill regarding the is
sue, but it failed be
cause it was a
flawed idea.
Year after year,
the issue comes
up, and year af
ter year, it fails. It
comes up peren
nially because it
sounds good, but
when all is said
and done, it doesn’t
make sense to have
run-offs for positions to
which people are elected
in a group. Run-offs work
well, or at least they are con
sistently used here at A&M, for
single positions such as student
body president or class council
positions to secure a plurality (50
percent of the vote). But the num
bers would not work in the same
way for yell leaders.
The plan is to send the top
five senior candidates and the
top four junior candidates to
the next round, ensuring
that those elected would
be receiving a plu
rality. This is easy
enough when two
candidates are in a
run-off, but when
there are four or
five, it is highly
unlikely that any
one of them would
be able to win a
large enough
chunk of the electorate.
Even if they did, it still may
not be an impartail system of election.
Guest Columnist
Javier Martinez
Junior
English and philosophy
major
Suppose this year’s elec
tion has about the same
number of voters as last
year. Ten thousand people
voted in the regular elec
tion, and only 3,000 in the
run-off election. Under
these conditions, a candi
date could receive close to
5,000 votes in the first
election, only to lose to
someone who squeaks
into the run-off, cam
paigns vigorously, and
then onlywins 1,500 votes.
Another factor dis
cussed is the Corps Block. Any organization
has the right to organize politically and moti
vate its members to get out and vote. If run
offs are held, these organizations will in
evitably have an advantage in a situation
where the turnout is already relatively low.
The Rules and Regulations Committee also
realized that, regardless of how low the vote is
today, the yell leaders are not part of the stu
dent government association and therefore
are not bound by the election commission to
abide by the results of a run-off. The yell lead
ers could easily choose to go back to the ol’
army way of doing things and hand-select
their successors.
I hope it never comes to that, but the possi
bility looms dark and heavy on the day of such
an important vote.
Unfortunatly, many Aggies just don’t care
about this vote. If students don’t care, that’s
their prerogative, but there is a body that does
care. It’s called Student Senate and it has spent
several months deliberating on the topic. They
decided it was not in the best interest of the
student body.
They are not, as has been portrayed, people
serving personal agendas from ivory towers.
Rather they are hard-working, committed stu
dents who dedicate long hours to issues that
effect everybody on campus.
Please listen to the voice of reason and
those who have taken the time to study the
problem. Vote no.
Editors’ Note: As stated in a front page article
in today’s Battalion, head yell leader Chris
Torn said, “Whatever the students decide,
we’ll do everything in our power to abide by
their vote.”
Nation, campus should focus on prayer
Newest
2LUB.
icolate
e’s Day
he time
Bar Drinks
PM
)AY
.r 21 s ;
GHT
ifo.
ome commercials
are creative and
some are outright
lird. Everyone has seen
I )se advertisements
I lich leave us wonder-
J what was advertised.
Many advertisements
on campus for Universi-
|departments or com-
ttees seem to fit in
latter.
University funds and
ources should not be
nt on useless trin-
Columnist
David Johnston
Junior
mathematics major
s. Committees giving away
jes from
okie Co.
Serves
■"fHTis should remember the items
mid benefit the student body
:y were created to serve.
Most students have collected a
le variety of these freebies over
: years. The “University Gift Coi
tion” includes plastic tumblers,
glasses and plenty of cold drink
'Iders—all supplied by University
artments or MSC committees.
Some of these items are clever
d useful, but some have no rela-
n to the group or cause who
itributed them. Some are so
jintless students wonder if these
[partments have money to burn.
Order Yoilf mostunu sualitemsdistrib-
\i I . a i 5d lately were pairs of sunglasses
Ion tine Cool kh the phrase “Safe & Sober Road
NflU/f ip 96” printed on the temples. This
^ irase probably has little impact on
e drinking habits of most students,
It at least they can use the glasses
o I ide bloodshot eyes.
: The Department of Student Life
led these glasses during their “Safe
king Break” campaign. While they
iem bizarre now, the glasses were
effective tool in distributing infor-
ation. By attaching the sunglasses
educational flyers, students were
axed into picking up (and possibly
tding) the message.
The MSC mounted a marketing
tnpaign last semester which
io left students with unan-
r ered questions. During one
iek, a different trinket was given
it each day to students passing
tough the MSC hallway. The
ms included key rings, plastic
mblers and bumper stickers,
ich piece was printed with a psy-
edelic version of the MSC logo
d the slogan “Memorial Student
C.
.ink.
liable,
IRST MONTH
offer expires 3-1
ssified Advertisin?
Center, Your Student
Union.”
Again, the intent
seemed unclear. The
MSC is already a house
hold name. Students still
nap on the Flagroom
couches. Actually, the
MSC Executive Council
was trying to remind stu
dents the committee is
governed by the student
body. They felt the vari
ous goodies might en
courage students to get
involved with MSC committees and
organizations in the future.
In the months since the publicity
drive, few cars have been seen sport
ing an MSC bumper sticker. Perhaps
they weren’t the wisest investment.
The Opera and Performing Arts
Society tried a similar approach
many years ago. OPAS gave away in
sulated drink holders bearing the
group’s logo and a drawing of Opus
the penguin. Perhaps this particular
image gives some people the urge to
run out and watch a theatrical pro
duction. But drinks aren’t allowed in
the Rudder Theatre or Rudder Audi
torium. It’s like giving seat cushions
to students at Kyle Field.
The “safe & sober” sunglasses
were donated to the Department
of Student Life, but the MSC and
OPAS goodies were paid for with
University money.
The MSC profits about $5,000
from Open House, and some of this
money is used for advertising. It
would be wiser to put the money
used to buy key rings and bumper
stickers into the general operating
budget and return some of the Stu
dent Service Fee back to students.
Not all advertising campaigns on
campus are ineffective. Last semes
ter, OPAS gave away brightly colored
helium balloons. Students all over
campus saw floating reminders of
the performance of Joseph and the
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Unfortunately, these clever adver
tisements seem to be the exception
and not the rule.
Sure, everyone likes to get free
stuff, but the T-shirts that credit
card companies give out don’t cost
the University money.
W hile our nation’s currency
claims, "In God we trust,”
our increasingly secular
society undermines this state
ment’s truthfulness.
At the National Prayer Breakfast
in Washington, D.C., President
Clinton met with 4,000 politicians,
businessmen, soldiers and digni
taries to lend some credibility to
our currency’s boast.
The conclusions drawn from the
prayer breakfast sound like a Sunday
school lesson: Prayer is the answer to
reconcile our campus and national problems.
Clinton described prayer as a useful tool for
healing rifts between groups. Specifically, he
addressed the need for prayer in the existing
conflict between politicians and the press.
"You know how cynical the press is about
the politicians. What you should know is that
the politicians have now become just as cynical
about the press, because cynicism breeds cyni
cism,” Clinton said. “We are in a world of hurt.
We need help. We are in the breach.”
Clinton is correct about the necessity of
prayer in healing broken relationships.
Prayer brings distinct groups together, caus
ing those groups to consider each other’s
welfare. By praying for the people we dislike
most, we gain compassion for them.
As a campus segmented into groups such
as fraternities, non-regs and the Corps of
Cadets, Texas A&M could use a little more
compassion. Racial tensions persist despite
Gnlumnist numerous organizations and pro
grams aimed at helping diverse
groups understand each other.
Healing these divisions will re
quire a change of heart that mere
human intervention has been un
able to produce.
Many student organizations on
campus use prayer as a means of
starting their meetings. The Residence
John Lemons Hall Association begins all of its gener-
Engineering al assemblies with an invocation.
graduate student Association President Jesse
Czelusta said prayer is appropri
ate for the organization’s meetings’.
“In my mind, the purpose of it (the invo
cation) is to get everybody’s mind focused
on service,” Czelusta said.
Likewise, Student Senate meetings begin
in prayer. Chris Reed, speaker of the Senate,
said the invocation is valuable to the Sen
ate’s proceedings. However, he has heard
some dissension on the matter.
“I’ve received one complaint this semes
ter,” Reed said. “They thought invocations
should be non-denominational.
“The person wanted me to set up guide
lines, but I felt uncomfortable doing that be
cause I don’t think its the role of any one
person to censor or modify someone’s pub
lic speech, whether it be religious or political
in nature.”
Although using prayer in a secular setting
may be controversial, prayer is relatively un
obtrusive. It gives people who believe in its
power a chance to exercise their belief in a
way significant to them.
“I think people are open-minded enough
to realize that just because someone is pray
ing to their own God, that doesn’t exclude
others from praying for the things they be
lieve in,” Czelusta said.
Campus and national leaders need the
prayers of the people who follow them. As
individuals who suffer constant scrutiny, our
leaders could use guidance. During his term
as president of A&M, Dr. E. Dean Gage met
weekly with a group of men to pray for their
jobs and families. Gage said the group was a
great encouragement to him during his
presidency.
“I was asking for prayer and guidance in
the responsibilities and decisions before me
as president of the University,” said Gage.
Prayer is more than just a way to begin meet
ings, sporting events and graduation cere
monies. It deserves to be more than just trite lip
service placed at the beginning of an agenda.
Prayer is a means by which we can recognize
our dependency on something greater than
ourselves. It provides a chance to realize some
problems are too big to be handled alone.
This campus needs prayer more than it
needs yell leader run-off elections-although
it needs run-off elections.
This nation needs prayer before it needs wel
fare reform -although it needs welfare reform.
Through prayer, we can truly become one
nation under God. As for people who don’t
believe in prayer, they can always have a
moment of silence.
Mail
Church protests more
alcohol on Northgate
Regarding the Feb. 6 article
“Restaurantget license despite
church protests”
The article quoted restaurant
owner Willie Madden as saying,
“Once I get up and running and they
see the type of establishment I will
have, they will be embarrassed
and ashamed they made a big
deal about it.”
As one of the ministers who ob
jected to yet another establishment
in the Northgate area selling alcohol,
let me admit that I am already em
barrassed and ashamed, ashamed
that national statistics indicate one
in three students now drinks primar
ily to get drunk. I am ashamed that
ninety-five percent of violent crimes
on U.S. campuses are alcohol-relat
ed. I am ashamed that alcohol is im
plicated in forty-one percent of aca
demic problems and twenty-eight
percent of dropouts.
I am also embarrassed, embar
rassed that I have done so little to
help students struggling with alcohol
abuse. I have too often been quiet
about the drinking problem on our
college campuses. I have failed to
warn students about the devastating
effects of alcohol abuse on their lives.
I am proud, however, of the stand
that several Northgate ministers
have taken concerning the alcohol
problem among our college stu
dents. Thank you, Pastor Anderson
of A&M Methodist Church and Pas
tor Estes of A&M Presbyterian
Church, for standing up for the
things of God and for supporting the
great students at Texas A&M.
Bob Mayfield
Director,
Baptist Student Ministry
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