The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 58, No. 16, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 28, 1971 Page: 4 of 6
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Rocking the boat on a marsh of red tape
. — •* i i rni • l 1 ."I _ «—«— a n*■ J >i4-l> 4-"U n i n
To the editor:
An elite of a large organiza-
tion maintains its position
either by allowing new ideas
and/or new people access to the
elite or by maintaining the sta-
tus quo. This appears to be true
not only for governments but
also for corporations and uni-
versities. Unfortunately, it ap-
pears that the hierarchy of this
University views with mistrust
any progress or change within
the University, whether physi-
cal or structural.
At Rice University, the prob-
lems encountered by an indivi-
dual or an approved organiza-
tion trying to effect a change
are manifold. First, a decision
must be made whether to go
through channels or to go
around channels if the latter
a gamble is involved. There is
a possibility either of alienating
the various people involved in
the bypassed channels or of
being told to go back through
channels.
If the "through the channels"
method is opted for, there is
the immediate problem of find-
ing the channel, where it starts
or who it starts with. Then,
more than likely, two or more
channels must be traveled si-
WUO^ 1*4 CL.fiM*Ui55 OP
OUTFJTTn
multaneously. There is the de-
finite possibility that someone
along the way will veto the
proposal. An even greater pos-
sibility is that someone in an
alternate channel will intervene
and veto the proposal. If,
through some miracle, the pro-
posed change makes it all the
way through the channel, it
still may be vetoed by the
final decision-maker.
However, even if it traverses
this obstacle, the waiting period
for the change to be effected
may be one to two years. After
all, it has to filter back through
the channel, and it can always
be lost or shelved along the way.
So the progressive individual or
organization is damned if he
does go through channels and
damned if he doesn't.
The most serious of all the
dangers cited above is that
someone who considers himself
Huser's Jewelry
Diamonds — Watches
1 Jewelry
2409 Rice Blvd. 528-4413
concerned with the issue will
discover its existence. The usual
reaction of such a person to any
proposed change in the status
quo is, "Don't rock the boat."
Trying to effect a change in
a flexible system is frustrating,
at best. Trying to effect a
change in an obdurate system,
such as the one above, is well-
nigh impossible, The hierarchy
responsible for such an irres-
ponsive bureaucracy should not
be surprised, then, when the res-
ponse to their system is Putney
Swopes': "I don't want to rock
the Boat. Rocking the Boat's a
drag. Sink the Boat!"
JER MARDIS
Student Center Board
Times
, Barber Shop
Haircuts — $2.00
with studedP ID
2434 Times — JA 8-9440
Harold's Garage
HENRY J. ENGEL, Owner
Automatic Transmissions
Paint & Body Shop
■fa Air Conditioning
Wrecker Service
2431 Dunstan
JA 8-5323
"... I know the voices dying with a dying fall
Beneath the music from a farther room . .
J. Alfred PRUFROCK's (Beer Parlour)
A most unusual atmosphere—Classical recordings, bridge,
chess, and other games of innocence.
423 Westheimer 528-8360
For those over 21 — Daily Five 'til Two
Winierland Ice Skating
Vv
Student rates for Rice students f ■ Special rates for gjQups of 10 or more
This Ad worth one Skate Rental"
Public sessions each day o 3:30-5:30 p.m., 8-10 p.m.
Closed Mondays — Available for private parties — 2400 Norfolk — JA 9-1610
Selective Service
(Continued from Page 1)
trators all over the country, in
hopes that they might initiate
courses on the draft. All 93 of
New York City's public high
schools have already adopted
; < ('urriculum Guide for class-
Five new brochures, covering
.-<;eh subjects as registration,
unification, and induction pro-
ccdures, conscientious objection,
the lottery system, and hard-
ship deferments, have been pre-
pared and will be distributed to
the public througl^schools and
local boards. In addition, the
Selective Service has developed
a mnv program to supply ref-
ei:<• e material on the draft to
the more than 1300'draft coun-
seling organizations requesting
this service. Most of this litera-
ture is available from the Su-
perintendent of Documents, US
Government Printing Office,
Washington, DC, 20402.
There appears to be a new
interest within the Selective
Service in seeing, at close range,
whether or not the system really
works, and in determining how
and where -it can be improved.
Lust year Dr. Tarr visited 51
of the oO state headquarters,
more than 600 local boards, and
troops in Vietnam, Korea, and
the Philippines. Jle has also
utilized the services of'the Sys-
tem's more than 800 Youth Ad-
visers: about GOr/o of the Youth
Advisory Committee proposals
presented at a national confer-
ence in June, 1970, were adopted
by the end of the year.
A recent Selective Service
Mickey Swift shot the
moon. Who will he shoot
next?
news release states that among
other changes made in 1970 was
a policy which "gives the reg-
istrant the opportunity to vol-
unteer for a pre-induction
physical examination at any
time without changing his place
in the induction order, allowing
the young man to clarify his
acceptibility for military serv-
ice at an early date."
Another new Selective Serv-
ice policy, one which became
increasingly important in the
closing days of 1970, "allows
young men to drop deferments
at any time, regardless of
whether they still are meeting
the conditions for which the
deferment was issued. This new
regulation allows men with high
lottery numbers to be dropped
to a lower draft priority where
they wou^d not be included un-
less there was a major national
emergency."
Many of the recent changcs
made by the Selective Service
System are long overdue, and
a number of them seem to rec-
tify basic weaknesses in the
draft mechanism and the phi-
losophy behind it. But short of
that goal, and even, perhaps,
more important, these changes
reflect changing attitudes with-
in' the Selective Service which
should make it more a respon-
sive agency and easier to live
with in the future.
Wedding
Photography
By Ed Moers. Seven
years experience. Best
quality pictures. Pack-
age plq,ns starting at
$77. Call 649-6458 or
SU 2-8930
WANTED
IN THREE STATES
TALENT
ALIAS: SINGERS-DANCERS-ACTORS
COMEDIANS - INSTRUMENTALISTS - BANDS
VENTRILOQUISTS-FOLK GROUPS
MAGICIANS-SQUARE DANCERS-ETC.
If you qualify you could be part of the crackling Live Entertainment for which SIX FLAGS
Over Georgia/Over Texas have become famous — or help open the exciting SIX FLAGS Over
Mid-America in St. Louis. So plan now to be a part of the action. Audition! All kinds of talent
will be considered. For audition schedules and complete information —pick up a Six Flags
"WANTED" brochure in the Student Services Office and plan to see us.
Austin, Texas—Friday, February 5—3:00 p.m.
University of Texas—Music Building #1 — Recital Hall
BY AUTHORITY OF
SIX IX AGS
OVER TEXAS/OVER GEORGIA/OVER MID-AMERICA
Dallas/Fort Worth Atlanta St. Louis
the rice thresher, january 28, 1971—page 4
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Mauldin, John. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 58, No. 16, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 28, 1971, newspaper, January 28, 1971; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245098/m1/4/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.