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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 26, 2003)
Forum The Battalion Page 10 • Friday, September 26, 200]! I Learning from the past A&M administrators must include students in the decision-making process Texas A&M is known for its steadfast tradi tions, which allow the University to maintain a consistent identity through time. But when looking through the history of this great University, the changes are what have propelled us to new heights. Administrators in the past at A&M have suc ceeded by incorporating the student body into the decision-making process, and during this time of change, current administrators should do the same. Some administrators are learning the hard way that if current students are not made part of the decision-making process, Aggies will integrate themselves into the process through various student body representative groups. For example. Transportation Services recently proposed a new method for handling the renting of spaces in the Southside Garage with minimal student input before the garage permit holders were notified of the possible changes. The Residence Hall Association passed a res olution last Wednesday rejecting TS’ proposal for reallocating parking spaces within the garage. This resolution is backed by more than 1,000 signa tures of on-campus resi dents. Rodney Weis, TS director, has agreed to attend the next RHA General Assembly and has Chris Mahaffy invited on-campus students to join an advisory committee concerning the issue. Current students may be amazed at the level of participation that students of the A&M College of Texas had during some tumultuous times. In 1898, after the interim commandant of the Corps of Cadets dropped his position, E. J. Kyle, Class of 1899, stepped up and ended his senior year serving as interim commandant. In the fall of 1963, A&M President James Earl Rudder, Class of 1932, initiated a number of new policies, including changing the University’s name from “The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas” to “Texas A&M University,” adding three colleges to the school and admitting 150 women on a limited basis. The Battalion at the time ended a paragraph addressing this rapid change by con cluding, “We feel sure that A&M is here to stay, and to grow. As for the Corps, we have said before that only the Corps will decide its fate.” Essentially, the future of the Corps at that time was in the hands of the cadets. In the past three years, we have seen a change in the University president, the commandant and the vice president of student affairs, arguably the three positions with the most influence on the student body. If A&M has ever seen this mucli drastic change in its history, it was during tlie Rudder era, and as in that era, those involved in the current decision-making must keep foremosi in their minds the students they serve. In an ideal system, A&M administrators would seriously value student input and use the students’ desire to make an impact on the University and its policy. We students, like the first cadets, have that same desire and motivation necessary to represent fellow Aggies. We should learn from history that when an administration is willing to put a growing Texas A&M in the hands of its Aggies, students and staff can work togeth er to carry the University to unimagined heights. ( Colon Residence Hall Association Presiitn: Chris Mahaffey is a saw civil engineering mjor, MAIL CALL Searches of computers by RIAA illegal In response to a Sept. 24 mail call: The RIAA is violating the rights of the public. The RIAA runs search bots from subsidiary companies such as BigChampagne.com that monitor everything downloaded on your computer, not just in the shared files you choose. The last time I checked, I didn’t give consent to this action, and I doubt anyone else did. Not only do they use this evidence to form lawsuits, they fish it out to radio stations and labels to let them know which songs the pub lic wants. I seriously doubt this is a ‘free’ service. They are basically hacking under the guise of defending themselves. You can’t make the RIAA search es anything like ‘police randomly knocking on door and searching for drugs’. Drugs are an illegal sub stance, songs aren’t. Think of it as going into the library to check out a book. If you let your friend read it when you are done, are you violating copyright laws? Do the ‘book police’ come running to arrest you? This pursuit by the RIAA has spawned many ridiculous suits, including a Canadian company seeking losses from doctors and dentists who play CDs in their wait ing rooms. I drive down the road with my win dows down and the radio going, am I going to be arrested for that too? Rick Bowers Class of 2002 Lemon test had not legitimate precedent In response to Jenelle Wilson's Sept. 24 column: Everything is based on the Lemon test. The Lemon test was derived by the court in Lemon vs. Kurtzman, but had no legitimate precedent. In effect, it was the per sonal opinion of the judges in the case. The job of the judicial branch of government is to rule on cases using the Constitution of the United States and the original intent of the authors, not on what they them selves prefer. This obviously was not done. The second and third prongs of the test are not legitimate if the actions of the early American government are considered. One of the first actions of Congress was to provide for the printing of Bibles. Thomas Jefferson, while superintendent of education in Washington, D.C., allowed teachers the use of any books they chose, but made the use of the Bible and Watts Hymnal mandatory. I believe this would now be considered an “excessive tangle- ment with religion.” A serious study of the Establishment Clause is enough to show that what is now being pro claimed as Constitutional Law has no bearing on what the original intentions of the authors were. Timothy Cook Graduate Student The Battalion encourages letters to the editor. Letters must be 200 words or less and include Ihe author's name, class and phone number. The opinion editor reserves the right to edit letters for length, style and accuracy. Letters may be submitted in person at 014 Reed McDonald with a valid stu dent ID. Letters also may be mailed to: 014 Reed McDonald, MS 1111, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1 111. Fax: (979) 845-2647 Email: mailcalK&'thebattalion.net E arlier Presic plans death squads ai attempt to stop country for 39 York Times. T1 by the Bush ad sented to the C Uribe’s prop punishment has international or Amnesty Intern cuting the mas' ians, Colombia paramilitary gn rorist organizat If Colombia rights, the prop thousands must meager fine. St and to the worl violations such The United I administration’ its foreign poli< ply does not m; by the United 5 The adminis cation to the w; the Self-Defen.s death squads th indicted in a fei cocaine, accord According tc bill allows Urib qualify for a su have some limii such as not beir or run for publi transfer some a: out of jail. The bill fails challenge the pi It's time to act tjour copy. P ICKING UP your 2003 /Igg/e/andyearbook is easy. If you ordered a book, look for the dis tribution table in front of the Reed McDonald Building. (Go to the Reed McDonald basement in case of inclement weather.) Please bring your Student ID. If you did not order last years Texas A&M University yearbook (the 2002-2003 school year), you may purchase one for $40 plus tax in Room 015 Reed McDonald. Hours: 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Cash, check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express, Aggie Bucks accepted. 2003 Aggieland New G onside develo state a | government, it si the United State: 21st century, its ly lost all prior a Juries are no Ion distinguishing a suit from a genu recent passage o gests. And now, John Ashcroft, p trusted to seek a ed criminals. Ashcroft rele stating that pros serious, readily and not employ overriding circu New York Time stated by Justic< Corallo, is to “n convicted of a c differently than the same exact < Parity of sen the several state directive require the court ’s cons Aggies d the code In the early Sept. 7, after 1 football game Aggie came by Reed Arena a chairs from the had left under went to sleep. 1 note with the “UTA SUXS, Al When I car College in 195 rule: Aggies do If you had si chairs, you she and asked for probably given On Sept. 27, Lot 100 for the be parked clos minimize the di
