University of Texas Austin - Cactus Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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Features 19

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FEATURES Edited by Joan Holland and Theresa Veach SSUES. The word conjures images of rallies, speeches and campaigns activities that college students reveled in during the ' 60s and ' 70s, but which in 1981-82 seemed left mostly in the hands of that rare breed, the political activist. But even in 1982 at UT, a school with a student body regarded by many as apathetic and dis- jointed, there were several issues ' catching the attention, if not always the interest, of UT ' s nearly 48,000 students. Among these was the United States ' involvement in the civil war in El Salvador, and the Moral Ma- jority, whose leader Jerry Falwell was revered in a Phooey on Falwell rally. One issue raising the ire of many students was the treatment of Al Watkins, a professor of government who was denied tenure at the end of the fail semester. Despite being ex- tremely popular among government students and respected by his associates, Watkins was denied tenure in his seventh, or up-and-out year with no explanation from the administration. Many believed the tenure denial was a result of Watkins ' political beliefs, which were Marxist. Some students and faculty members undertook efforts to University Still an Arena for Debate of Issues by STEVE HAMLETT get the administration to reconsider. One of these efforts was a rally held in support of Watkins on the West Mall at noon on March 9. One banner held on the steps of the Main Building at the head of the mall announced the rally while another said in bold lettering SUPPORT WATKINS - SUPPORT QUALITY. A sound truck car- ried the speakers ' voices to those who would stop to listen. Dr. Harry Cleaver, associate professor of economics, pointed out that Watkins was doing important and signifi- cant work in the field of economics, study- ing the problems plaguing the economy of the western world. Al ' s work on replacing Keynesian economics is extremely impor- tant. In the case of Al, the administration has made a mistake, he said. Cleaver defended the tenure system in general, however, com- paring it to the contract recently signed bet- ween the Ford Motor Company and the United Auto Workers. The workers traded income for job security . . . Once you have job security, you ' re free from worrying about political pressure. You are free to think, he said. Cleaver, who held Marxist beliefs himself, was given tenure at the same time it was denied Watkins. He attributed this to Watkins ' involvements on campus (he served as faculty adviser for the Red Ryder Preser- vation Society) and in left-wing politics, ex- plaining that Watkins knew people in many different colleges of the University. Paul Woodruff, associate professor of philosophy, and Tom Philpott, associate professor of history, also spoke at the rally. Woodruff proposed reform of the promo- tion system. Philpott described the UT ad- ministration as a group that makes mistakes, but rarely admits them. He further said that Watkins represented something the powers that be didn ' t like. The group of students, which grew to more than 200 by the end of the 45-minute rally, listened attentively to the faculty and student speakers and frequently broke out in applause. It was a scene repeated on that spot many times throughout the year, for many different causes, just as had happened there for years. With an almost constant stream of students, the West Mall was pro- bably the most natural place on the 300-acre campus to meet and discuss the day ' s issues. 18 Features

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Memorial Weekend Floods Wash Austin Into Sweltering Summer Solstice The disastrous floods of the Memorial Day weekend foreshadowed the weather for June which found many sections of town inundated by floodwaters from torrential rains. Although damage from this deluge ran into millions of dollars, Presi- dent Reagan refused to designate Austin a federal disaster area. Watered-down days didn ' t dampen Austinites ' spirits for long, though. To the relief of sun-starved citizens. Barton Springs reopened in early July after the flood-eroded embankment was rebuilt. Some Austin residents expressed more apprehension than elation, however, because they believed the construction of the Barton Creek Square Mall posed a threat to the natural spring. Texas legislators shunned the sun and re- mained in the Capitol as Gov. Bill Clements called two special sessions. Problems with the redistricting plan extended the legislative assembly well past its 142-day term. On campus, shuttle bus drivers prepared to strike if Transportation Enterprises, Inc. failed to meet contract demands for better wages and working conditions. Protesting UT employee, Kathleen Kelleher, assistant instructor in government, lost her battle against the administration. She remained relieved of her teaching duties when UT President Peter Flawn decided that she had failed to follow a course syllabus by bringing homosexuals to speak to a 312L section she taught in summer 1980- Around Texas, state troopers set up roadblocks to prevent California produce contaminated by the Mediterranean fruit fly from entering the Lone Star state. On the Gulf Coast, no one could stop, much less explain, the mysterious deaths of approx- imately 3,000 adult redfish that washed up on a 140-mile stretch of South Texas beach. After the dust settled, it was time for freshman legislator Mike Martin of Longview to kiss his political dreams good- bye. Shot in the elbow on July 31 while park- ed outside a trailer park, it was later discovered that with the help of a cousin, he had staged his own shooting for publicity. He topped off his conflicting cover-up stories of being pursued by satanic cults and unknown enemies by announcing his can- didacy for re-election. Irate Californians endured the medfly invasion and some of them were even more provoked when Gov. Jerry Brown finally gave in and allowed the spraying of malathion to control the infestation. In the nation ' s capital, the Supreme Court made room on the bench for its first female justice, Sandra Day O ' Connor, and President Reagan succeeded in getting his three-year tax cut out of Congress in one piece. While Pope John Paul II struggled through a slow recovery from the gunshot wound he received in April, his dream of Swift currents rush ovtt issored rubble nd three Mitomobfles tht were unlucky enough to get inthewiy of Shoal Creek ' s ngry torrents during the summer flooding. Summer