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

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The effect of the boycott was a major question throughout the games because of those countries ' strengths in many events. The U.S. dominated the games and set a new record for gold medals with 82, and 157 medals overall. The U.S. men ' s gymnastics team won the gold for the first time in history. University of Texas student Rick Carey took home three golds in swimming events. With national spirit at an all-time high, students gathered to support their candidates for the November election. Mondale and Ferraro made a historic stop at the Texas Capitol Aug. 1, and thousands flocked to Dallas for the Republican Convention. The summer of 1984 was a time for getting involved, fighting for what you believed in and being part of an up-and- coming major force on the national political scene as a university student. With temperatures soaring and mandatory water rationing becoming necessary through the summer, even Littlefield fountain dried up. - Photo b John Davenport Lynn Fisher, accounting senior, unpacks her lounger for those lazy Sunday afternoons at the KniMilving sun deck before cool fall weather sets in Photo by - oft n Dai ' fnport Summer Calendar '

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Summer politics heat controversy by JULIE DEL BARTO Politics. This was the watch word for the summer of 1984. While students were trying to get over finals and get ready for the first summer sessions they found themselves more involved than ever with the primaries and the con- troversy surrounding them. The most hotly contested race involved the U.S. Senate seat John Tower vacated. Lloyd Doggett came from behind in the Democratic primary to take the win over opponent Kent Hance, provoking questions as to the validity of the primary system. Controversy. This word, too, fit hand in hand with politics as the watch words of ' 84. The Students ' Association got directly involved in the political process by taking a vocal stand on the nation- wide raising of the legal drinking age to 21. President Rodney Schlosser and vice president Trey Monsour traveled to Washington, D.C., to lobby against the bill, which would withhold highway funds from non -comply ing states. The Democratic convention began in San Francisco, and on July 19, Walter Mondale accepted his party ' s nomina- tion for president, and Geraldine Fer- raro became the first woman ever to gain the vice presidential nomination. It wasn ' t a week later that America ' s shining example of womanhood, Miss America, was forced to give up her crown. Vanessa Williams, the first black Miss America, resigned her title after Penthouse magazine published con- troversial photos taken of her before she was crowned. The campaign trail hit Austin with President Reagan ' s appearance at Auditorium Shores, while a national tragedy unfolded in San Ysidro, Calif. A gunman killed 20 people and injured 13 in a McDonald ' s restaurant in the worst massacre by one person in U.S. history. This called attention to the con- troversy surrounding the 1984 Summer Olympics and the Soviet boycott. The Soviet Union and other communist bloc nations pulled out of the Games, calling the Los Angeles site a security risk. Political rallies were the event of the sum- mer as Austinites gathered to show their support for their favorite candidates. Photo by Cris Bouroncle , and FEKRARO 20 Summer Calendar

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Triumphs struggle to override crises While summer was filled with the drama of a national campaign, fall saw the close of this controversy, and entered the year as a season of both triumph and crisis. Triumphs. These were the shining stars that, kept returning University students in a perpetual state of op- timism. Once again, the fighting Longhorns began a season with only the highest expectations, including the No. 1 national ranking. Along with University triumphs, students worked for both individual recognition and personal causes. These ranged from making their grades to following each of their candidates ' stops on the campaign trail. It was out of dedication like this that the Graduate Business Council received pledges from students and eventually, with the help of a private foundation, set up two $2,500 endowed presidential scholar- ships from sums totaling over $61,000. University students weren ' t the only ones who made the news with exciting achievements. William J. Schroeder, the second man ever to receive an artificial heart, showed spirit in his will to live that surpassed the monumental odds against his recovery. Doctors later struck a nerve of the public when they transplanted the heart of a baboon into a 2-week-old girl. Baby Fae made history as the subject of this highly- controversial experiment only to die leaving the world pondering the ethics of the decision to operate. While breakthroughs like these were being made here on earth, American astronauts were making history in space by retrieving and repairing satellites or- biting the earth. Crises. These were the events that chipped away at the security and op- timism that had become so much a part of daily life. The University placed the officers of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity on disciplinary probation for acts of hazing and admonished the SAE pledges for the sapne incident. Richard Weber and Mike Collins finally make their way to the front of the line to receive their copies of the 1984 Cactus. Photo by Kevin Gutting 22 Fall Calendar