The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 59, No. 14, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 13, 1972 Page: 1 of 4
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4> s
New coach Conover speaks out on academics, athletics
11: i
by GARY RACHLIN
Last Saturday, President Hackerman
announced that Rice's new head coach
is A1 Conover and the new athletic di-
rector is "Red" Bale. Monday I had an
interview with Conover. Excerpts follow:
Thresher: Coach Peterson had some di-
fficulties concerning the relationship
between academic and athletics at Rice.
How do you see football fitting into
the scheme of things at Rice Univer-
sity?
Conover: When I came to Rice Uni-
versity last year with Coach Peterson I
knew absolutely nothing- about Rice. I
had heard of it; I knew it was a great
school; I klnew it had had great teams
in the past. But th'at is not really know-
ing anything about Rice. I don't think
there is any way to really understand
the structure of this university until you
have actually been involved in it. This
is one thing that I have been real for-
tunate to (have the advantage to have
been here for a whole year. I think that
any coach who comes in here and hasn't
had that advantage is in a heap-of-
troiuble. I have no desire to get myself
in that heap—believe me. As I've said
before, I realize now the traditions and
the ideals and the purposes of Rice Uni-
versity. And one of my objectives is to
fit our football program into that more
than it has been done in the past, be-
cause as I see it, it is now two separate
entities with this world over here and
that world over there. I think that there
are a lot of things that I need in this
program and the best way for me to
get these things is to let people know
what I need and why I need them—and
then for me to find out what the best
way for me to accomplish these things
is. In order to do that I have to have
the help and the cooperation of the mas-
ters, the faculty, the administration,
and the students. I'm not going to make
raish decisions. I'm going to find out
what is the best way to accomplish the
things that I'd like to get done and how
will they affect Rice University. So I'm
going to be very cautious about what I
do.
Thresher: What sort of things do you
need for a successful football program
at Rice?
Conover: One of the things that I have
in, mind concerns people who are coming
into Rice University, not only football
getting a "1" for the program . . .
Thresher: Do you have any desire for
an athletic dorm at Rice?
Conover: An athletic dormitory? At
Rice? Not at Rice University. I wouldn't
even consider that. That's absurd.
Thresher: Would you suggest any
changes in the training table?
Conover: First thing I'm going to do
away with is breakfast—all year long.
players but any student, that have
weaknesses in certain areas. I'd like to
explore the possibilities of setting up a
program (maybe it would be for no
credit, I'm not concerned about that)
where boys improve their reading skills,
their speaking- skills, and their writing-
skills that would help them make it at
Rice.
Thresher: Would you consider a three
to four week seminar in the summer
before the individual's freshman year as
a possible format for such a program?
Conover: I think that would be just tre-
mendous. I'm not concerned about the
individual getting academic credit or
Thresher: Does that include the season
and spring training?
Conover: Yes it does—all year round.
1 have to depend on my players to have
initiative and responsibility. If I can't
depend on them to get out of bed and
go to class—now I'm going to have
other ways of making- sure they are
going to class because there is no way
to make it at Rice University without
going to class and 1 want to make sure,
that they do that—but I don't intend
to be a policeman where 1 have to go
around and make sure that everyone is
abiding by all the rules and this and
that—so j'iii going to do away with
breakfast entirely. As far as lunch, I'm
going to leave it up to the football
team. During the season and spring-
practice we will have training table for
lunch, but for the rest oft the time, the
decision will be left to the team.
Thresher: The evening meal will be at
the colleges for those periods other than
the season or spring training.
Conover: Yes—just like it's been.
Thresher: How will you sell Rice Uni-
versity to recruits?
Conover: Well there are a number of
things we are concentrating on when we
talk to recruits. First of all, we try to
find people who have an interest in
obtaining an education. Right away
we're ahead of everybody when we find
somebody like that, because Rice is the
top university in the southwest and, as
far as private institutions, it is in the
top ten of America. So, you're way
ahead when you talk to a boy who has
an interest in academics.
We sell the college system real big.
This is really impressive to a parent
when you talk to a parent. You'd be
surprised. We tell them that we don't
have an athletic dorm. We tell them
that their son will be but with chemists,
engineers, etc. and that ho will associate
with people of all types. When he comes
out he'll be able to carry on an intelli-
gent conversation with anybody, and mix
with any type of person. There are a
lot of plusses to the college system—so
we sell that.
We also sell our football. We feel
like we've got a real advantage over a
lot of schools because we're one of the
few major schools in the nation that
really emphasizes throwing the football.
I guess Stanford would be another on<
Arkansas has been, but they're getting
away from it. I'm hoping they go to
the wishbone. We're going to have the
exclusive rights to all quart>-rbaeks ar.d
receivers. So how can you miss'.' There's
no wav.
1 I*
the rice thresher
volume 59, number 14
thursday. January i:t, 197:
Public Interest Research Group suggested for Texas
i
by LEIGHTON READ
In an entirely new direction
for student activism, students
in Minnesota and Oregon have
put together an organization
with the resources and ability
to bring about effective social
change. In each state, they have
organized and funded a Public
Interest Research Group to act
as a voice for students in the
affairs of government and the
community. These new groups
are showing already that by
combining student idealism and
resources with the talents and
dedication of professionals, they
can be a match for the power-
fully well organized representa-
tives of private interests.
The concept of a student
based group of professionals,
working in the public interest
was originated by Ralph Nader
and his associates in the sum-
mer of 1970. While the need for
public interest professionals was
apparent, hundreds of graduates
of law and medical schools were
seeking but not finding employ-
ment in the private public-serv-
ice area. The primary problem
was lack of funds.
Since whole industries, no-
tably record and movie compan-
ies, are based on student pat-
ronage, it seemed reasonable to
Nader that a public interest or-
ganization could be funded by
students. This also seems re-
asonable to 90,000 students on
19 campuses in Minnesota who
have voted to tax themselves
three dollars each, per year to
support the Minnesota Public
Interest Rose a r c h Group
(MPIRG). Fifteen campuses in
Oregon made the same decision
anil the Oregon Student Public-
Interest R e s e a r c h Group
(OSPIRG) is now a reality.
Groups are also beginning to
organize in Wisconsin, West
Virginia, Illinois, New Jersey
and,. Vermont.
The usual process of organi-
zation begins with a core group
of Workers on each campus.
They start a petition drive to
obtain support of over 50% of
the student body. This petition
calls for the establishment of
the PIRG and requests the uni-
versity administration to col-
lect $3.00 from each student at
registration yearly. The rights
of a minority are protected by
allowing a negative check-off
on the forms for those desiring
not to participate. The PIRG
then contracts with the univer-
sity which acts merely as a col-
lecting agency for PIRG money.
The PIRG is structured to
provide representative student
control. Each participating
campus elects a local board
that meets and operates proj-
ects on a local level. The local
boards are represented on a
state Board of Directors which
seta overall policy and deter-
mines the projects to be under-
taken. A professional staff of
lawyers, scientists, and engi-
neers is hired and work begins.
The Minnesota group has un-
dertaken a wide variety of
projects in areas of discrimina-
tion, environment, and govern-
ment policy. They are conduct-
ing a fond price comparison
study t. see where patterns of
higher pricing exist and to
monitor compliance with Phase
II. The ISO9 Refuse Act has
been discovered as a tool for
fighting water poll u t e r s .
MPIRG is currently investigat-
ing- 1,000 applications by in-
dustries for permits that will
allow them to continue their dis-
charges into navigable waters,
and plans to intervene in the
courts on some applications.
In a complicated project in-
volving a new suburban hous-
ing project with a poorly plan-
ned sewage disposal system,
MPIRG may go to court to pre-
vent the destruction of a pop-
ular recreational lake. They
hope to force the developers to
provide better treatment facili-
ties. In other environmental
projects, they are doing- a study
of timber cutting .and mineral
leasing practices in a wilder-
ness area and giving testimony
in the Minnesota Air Imple-
mentation Plan under the Clean
Air Amendments of 1970.
The FCC has also come under
the scrutiny of MPIRG. A com-
prehensive report of FCC li-
censing practices for radio an-
nouncers and broadcasting en-
gineers is nearinig completion.
It will detail the ineffectiveness
of present regulations and the
slipshod enforcement proce-
dures that are supposed to pro-
tect the public from abuse of
the airways. Also, the condi-
tions at a big county jail are
being investigated
and alterna-
incarceration are b
for prisone
This may
a. statewide
and bonding
i-e
fives
ing explored
awaiting trial.
broach ned into
study of jails
practices.
The list of projects that could
be considered is endless. On the
Minnesota list for possible ac-
tion are studies of mass trans-
portation, health care delivery,
auto warranties, zoning, sexism,
minority hiring by the govern-
ment, drug and draft laws, and
laws that would encourage cor-
porate responsibility and re-
sponsiveness s.
«*Fhere were many nmblems iu
establishing the Oregon and
Minnesota PIRG's. Slate uni-
versitv Boat
f Re
reluctant to approve the fei
collection for an organization
that might jepordize their in-
terests in the community, and
private trustees were addition-
ally concerned about their
school's tax exempt status.
These and countless other ad-
ministrative hassles were <n
(Continued on Page 4)
Franklin and Margrave to move up
Rice University News
Dr. Joseph Louis Franklin,
Jr., Robert A. Welch Professor
of Chemistry, has been named
chairman of the department of
chemistry at Rice University,
effective July 1, Dr. W. E. Gor-
don, Dean of Science & Engi-
neering, announced today.
He will succeed Dr. John A.
Margrave who has been ap-
pointed dean of graduate stud-
ies and research, effective the
same date.
Franklin, a native of Natchez,
Miss., earned his B.S. in physi-
cal chemistry at the University
of Texas in 1929. In 1934 he
was awarded his Ph,D. at UT
and joined the laboratory staff
of Humble Oil & Refining Co.
at Bay town, where he remained
for the ensuing 29 years.
While, still at Humble, he be-
came Welch Foundation Visit-
ing Scholar at Rice for 1961-62.
In 1963, when the Welch Chair
was established, he left Humble
to accept the appointment which
he will retain as chairman.
Franklin is a fellow of the
American Physical Society,
former chairman erf the South-
east Tc^xas Section of the
American Chemical Society,
past president of the American
Society for Mass Spectrometry,
and a member of the Faraday
Society. He also is a registered
Texas engineer.
Franklin is cq-author of two
monographs, editor of a third,
and author of numerous tech-
nical papers in physical chem-
istry.
He lives with his wife, the
former Mildred Louise Selkirk,
at 3627 South Braeswood Dr.
They have three children: Wil-
liam S., 26; James B., 24, and
Robert A., 21.
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Freed, DeBow. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 59, No. 14, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 13, 1972, newspaper, January 13, 1972; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245121/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.