4 _ _l l9tt r -Al r Am i 8 U. THE NATIONAL COLLEGE NEWSPAPER a a Opinions OCTOBER 1988 OCTOBER 1988 Student Body U. THE NATIONAL COLLEGE NEWSPA U THE NATIONAL COLLEGE NEWSPAPER By presenting a wide range of opinions and ideas reprinted from hundreds of campus newspapers, we hope to enhance the quality of campus life as we inform, entertain and engage the national student body. We acknow- ledge the commitment of student journalists across the nation, supported by their media advisers and journalism professors, to report the activities, issues and concerns of their fellow students. EDITORIAL ADVISORY COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Sheena Paterson-Berwick ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Mike Singer DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS RELATIONS a Dick Sublette ADVERTISING SALES r Sales Manager: Ava Weintraub New York Account Executives: Marc Bessinger, Joseph Finkelstein. Karen C. Tarrant Los Angeles Account Executives: Laurie Guhrke, Athar Siddiqee Sales Assistant: Claudia Malis, Midwest Representatives: Lame Meyers, Inc. EDITORIAL Managing Editor: Karen Bollermann Rebecca Howard. News Features Editor Brent Anderson, Life and Art Editor Marc Bona. Dollars and Sense Editor Mark Charnock, Student Body Editor Liz Camfiord, Assistant Editor CIRCULATION AND DISTRIBUTION Operations Manager: Annalee Ryan Staff: Ross Fischman, Troy Renneberg MARKET RESEARCH Director: Steve Nachtman PROMOTIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS 0 Manager: Julie Du Brow EDITORS ON FELLOWSHIPS " Brent Anderson, Daily Nexus, U. of California. Santa Barbara Marc Bona, The Daily Iowan, U. of Iowa Mark Charnock, The Breeze, James Madison U., VA Rebecca Howard, Kansas State Collegian, Kansas State U. CHAIRMAN: Albert T. Ehringer VICE CHAIRMAN: Tay Yoshitani DR. J. DAVID REED, Immediate Past President, Society for College Journalists, The Eastern News, Eastern Illinois U. FRED WEDDLE, Immediate Past President, WesternWAssociation of University Publications Managers, Oklahoma Daily, U. of Oklahoma MONA CRAVENS, Director of Student Publica- tions, Daily Trojan, U. of Southern California EDMUND SULL AN, Director, Columbia Scho- lastic Press Association. Columbia U., NY TOM ROLNICKI, Executive Director, Associated Collegiate Press DR. DAVE KNOTT, Immediate Past President, College Media Advisers, The Ball State Daily News, Ball State U., IN U. is published six times a year by The American Collegiate Network, 3110 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Tel: 213 450-2921 Copyright 1988. All rights reserved. DR. FRANK RAGULSKY, Manager of Student Media, Daily Barometer, Oregon State U. JAN T. CHILDRESS, Director of Student Pub- lications, University Daily, Texas Tech U. W. B. CASEY, Publisher, Daily Iowan, U. of Iowa ED BARBER, General Manager, Independent Florida Alligator, U. of Florida HARRY MONTEVIDEO, General Manager, The Red & Black,U. of Georgia BRUCE D. ITULE, Manager of Student Publica- tions, State Press, Arizona State U. ERIC JACOBS, Immediate Past President, Col- lege Newspaper Business & Advertising Managers, The Daily Pen nsylvanian,U. of Pennsylvania BPA Consumer Audit membership applied for August 1987. Just the beginning Even national champions aren't immune to NCAA violations. Page 23 New happy hours Students are taking time out for a fitness hour to stay healthy. Page 25 I I F-I I-- %, " L- r-N I I %..., 1 11 1 RF(-,RFATIC)N I 0 E IMA LTH Chewing the fat Some fast fat facts you should know to eat right. Page 26 - 1113u I I - I I I I E- C) % Wet workout Marilee Niehoff ha making waves with]1 workout. F By Stephen The Battalion Texas A&M U. Masters i 0 QD wD aD tL American adults fail geography test By Laura Crawley The Daily Texan U. of Texas, Austin For years we've heard that Johnny can't read. According to a recent inter- national survey by the National Geog- raphic Society, it seems that Johnny also has no idea where he is. The society tested the geographical knowledge of 10,820 people, including 1,116 Americans. Adults in the United States tied for sixth place with Great Britain; only Italy and Mexico scored lower. Americans between the ages of 18-24 were more geographically ignor- ant than any other group in the survey. Geography may seem to be trivial knowledge, but Gilbert Grosvenor, president of the National Geographic Society, has a valid point: "Our adult population, especially our young adults, do not understand the world at a time in our history when we face a critical eco- nomic need to understand foreign con- sumers, markets, customs, opportuni- ties and responsibilities. If we don't understand place and location, then the consequences of events lose meaning." Even though we are involved militari- ly in the Persian Gulf, 75 percent of adult Americans can't point to it on a map. More than 50,000 Americans died in Vietnam, but two-thirds of Amer- icans don't know where that country is. South Africa is in the news almost daily, yet 50 percent of Americans can't find it on a map, and 45 percent don't know that apartheid is government policy there. Despite ongoing trade problems with Japan, less than half could identify that country on a map. Even though tension between the Un- ited States and the Soviet Union "If we don't understand place and location, then the consequences of events lose meaning." - GILBERT GROSVENOR stretches back for decades, one in four Americans can't identify Russia, the largest country in the world, on a world map. But America's geographical ignor- ance is not limited to foreign countries. About one-half of respondents couldn't place New York or Illinois correctly on a map of the United States. One out of seven Americans, when looking at a world map, don't even know where the United States is. In a democracy, the people make im- portant decisions that will shape the present and future of the country. The United States is one of the few nations in the world that at least pays lip service to the idea that a country must have a reponsible, educated voting citizenry in order to succeed. Obviously, without more geographical knowledge, the vast majority of Americans are ill-prepared to vote responsibly. In the hands of the ignorant, a vote is either a useless or dangerous tool. Sweden, which ranked highest in the comparison, requires its students to study geography at the secondary level, where it is taught with broad concep- tual themes, including models explain- ing global imbalances between coun- tries. By contrast, the United States has eliminated the study of geography in all but two states; in most schools it has been incorporated and subsequently lost in a new invention known as "social studies." Only 10 percent of American teachers instructing geography ma- jored in it in college. "Gone are the days when American dollars could override international ignorance," Grosvenor said. "If we are to be influential in resolv- ing ... a whole host of ... issues, we must be geographically literate," he said. By Kate Jeffrey The Daily Texan U. of Texas, Austin As we reach the end of the Reagan revolution, many draw pa- rallels between the '80s and the '50s. But there is one subtle differ- ence. In 1988, you go into a conveni- ence store and say loudly, "I'll have a pack of condoms," - but then whisper, "and a pack of cigarettes." Smokers are the lepers of the '80s, banished to the rear of air- planes (if smoking is allowed at all) and destined to sit at restaurant tables which always seem to be in the back by the kitchen. To make ourselves feel better af- ter several of the'80s crusades flop- ped, we're treating smokers like second-class citizens. Never mind that one-fourth of all American citizens smoke. Never mind that the U.S. government receives a much-needed $10 billion per year from excise taxes on tobacco pro- ducts. Never mind that there are serious global and domestic prob- lems like the arms race, the deficit, poverty and crime. Just don't let us breathe their second-hand smoke. Cigarette smoking is an unheal- thy habit. It is, however, a legal habit and should be treated as such. The 1986 Surgeon General's report on "The Health Consequ- ences of Involuntary Smoking" was in no way conclusive, yet this study fueled the massive second-hand smoke hysteria we have today. A continuation ofthehcurrent, and sometimes violent, hostilities can only lead to more heated con- frontations. Perhaps Uncle Sam should spend a portion of the tobac- co "sin" tax on providing adequate ventilation in public buildings. Separate smoking and non- smoking sections will help the pri- vate sector take care of itself, but for now, there needs to be more friendly and tactful communica- tions between opposing forces. Many smokers do not - and should not - mind putting out their cigarettes or directing their smoke to an alternate direction when politely asked. Likewise, non-smokers should be more toler- ant and diplomatic, and realize second-hand smoke will not cause the ruin of society as we know it. Texas A&M U. President William Mobley and Athle- tic Director Jackie Sherrill said they were relieved but disappointed after the re- lease of the NCAA Commit- tee on Infractions report that found A&M guilty of 25 rules infractions. "We've been through a lot of stress over the last five or six years, especially the last three or four," Sherrill said. "I'm very, very happy to-F day is here. I'm glad it's over with. We'll take the hand that's been dealt to us and give it our best shot. Although I don't necessarily agree with the assessment of these findings, we'll have to deal with them." Among the infractions were nine "significant viola- tions," including: Two unnamed assistant football coaches who "provided false and mis- leading information" to NCAA inves- tigators. g A student-athlete who was paid more than $4,000 for cleaning a print- ing press at a wage of $15 per hour. An incident in which a repre- sentative offered a prospective stu- dent-athlete a car at a discount. The report said Sherrill became aware of the incidents and reported the facts to an A&M official, but did not inform the official of A&M's re- sponsibility to report the incident to the NCAA. Sherill also failed to re- port the incidents to the NCAA en- forcement staff. The committee's penalties against the university include a two-year probation, no bowl game after the 1988-89 season and the loss of five scholarships and 15 campus visits for the 1989-90 season. Live and let fly in dream world of Rodney Mullen By Lawrence Hollyfield The Alligator U. of Florida Picture this. You have attained finan- cial independence while in college to go along with a near-perfect grade point average, world-renowned status and a relationship with a wonderful person. It is not only on a trip to The Twilight Zone that things like this are found. It is real life for some people. People like Rodney Mullen. Mullen, a U. of Florida junior major- ing in biomedical engineering, has reigned as king of the skateboarding world for the last 10 years. ie has won the world free-style skateboarding championship for nine of those 10 years, See MULLEN, Page 25 Texas A&M was the latest school to be found guilty of NCAA violations, but they certainly are not alone. Inside: A Texas A&M reaction, how the NCAA gets its man and a look at who might be next. In a prepared statement, Mobley said A&M would not make excuses for mistakes made 'in the athletic program. "We will not accept arguments such as 'others are violating the rules' or that 'we don't like the rules,' "he said. "Where we differ with the rules, we will seek constr change through app ate channels. We however, abide by the as they exist at any p time." The 12-page repot the penalties could been worse. "The committee be that President Moble tions provide a bas mitigating the penal this case. Absent Pre Mobley's actions, the ties imposed on th versity's football pr would have been mo vere," the report stat Mobley testified the committee Aug. Syracuse, N.Y. In his testimor set out several poir signed to "clean A&M's athletic pro including the esta ment of an interc ate athletic comp director, communication with students on the school's intent sociate them from the athletii ram following NCAA recruiting tions and disciplinary actions a athletic department staff invo the violations. The two unnamed assii coaches found in violation ofI rules will have their contrac viewed at the end of the sease Sherrill has been placed on "ad trative probation." Mobley said that in effect, he on administrative probatio would not say that either he or rill would leave automaticallyf violation. Sherrill was more . definitiv Mobley on the possibility of disi "If Jackie Sherrill does som to warrant it, Jackie Sherri leave this institution," he sai Mobley won't have to fire Jacki rill."