The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 62, No. 28, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 13, 1975 Page: 3 of 16
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Schoo/s now facing unhappy students lawsuits
The latest threat troubling
college deans isn't student dem-
onstrations or even fraternity
parties. It's consumer protection
lawsuits filed by students against
their colleges and universities.
Most recently, Ilene Ianniello,
a Connecticut housewife who
had been studying at the Univer-
sity of Bridgeport to become a
high school teacher, filed suit to
get her $350 enrollment fee
back. Although she got an "A"
in her course, she says she
learned nothing and charged that
the course was an insult to her
intelligence.
Ms. Ianniello's suit is typical
of many that college students
have been filing lately, claiming
that their colleges are not treat-
TexPIRG offers *75 grants
TexPIRG is offering up to
$75 for research projects com-
pleted Spring semester. These
projects, which may be done in
association with class papers,
may later be published or ex-
panded further for future Tex-
PIRG use. Anyone can apply;
however, preference will be
given to those projects with at
least three students. Three grants
will be offered. To apply, come
by the PIRG office in the RMC.
Information regarding Auto
Repair shops in the Houston
area will be compiled into a
pamphlet to be distributed by
PIRG. If you have anything
you'd like to contribute (com-
ments, complaints, spare time or
organizing ability), please come
by.
MEETINGS...
The Houston Metropolitan
Ministries, Rice University, the
Hispanic International Univer-
sity, the Texas Committee for
the Humanities, and Public
Policy are sponsoring a series of
lectures on Inflation, Freedom
and Individual Values: Dealing
with the Issues. For information,
call 522-3955.
Sat., Feb. 15, 9am-noon,
Kashmere Baptist Church,
4302 Cavalcade.
Sun., Feb. 23, 2pm-5pm, St.
Theresa's Catholic Church,
6622 Haskell.
Sun., Feb. 23, 2pm-5pm, Ripley
House, 4401 Lovejoy.
Wed., Feb. 26, 7pm-10pm,
University Presbyterian
Church, 3601 Blodgett.
Wed., Feb. 26, 7pm-10pm,
Gethsemane Methodist
Church, 6856 Bellaire.
There will be a Common
Cause meeting Wed., Feb. 19, at
7pm in Jetton's Cafeteria,
Richmond at Buffalo. John
Hannah, lobbyist, will speak
about the current Texas legisla-
ture. For more information, call
524-1291.
Out-of-state
licenses OK'd
Out-of-state students with
out-of-state license plates on
their cars needn't worry about
getting a ticket from the friendly
local policeman. Non-resident,
full-time students attending ac-
credited colleges and universities
have been granted "full recipro-
city," the state's term which
means that out-of-state license
plates are accepted as valid in
Texas. However, there is one
string: after a non-resident estab-
lishes residency (for example, by
registering to vote), he has thirty
days to get Texas plates put on
his car.
The next local board meeting
will be at 7pm, Tues., Mar. 4.
An Amicus Curae brief was
submitted on Monday, February
10, in support of Ralph
Koopman's suit against South-
western Bell Telephone Com-
pany by the Houston Chapter of
the Texas Consumer Associa-
tion, the Legal Aid Clinic of
Texas Southern University, and
Texas Public Interest Research
Group. The brief was filed with
Judge Miller, CCL II, Harris
County. A previous court ruled
in favor of Mr. Koopman's suit
to have his telephone deposit
returned pursuant to a city ordi-
nance requiring the return of
such deposit after two months at
a customer's request. Mr.
Koopman is now seeking the
dismissal of Bell's appeal. The
case may well prove to be a land-
mark determination of the
precedence of local ordinance
control over public utilities.
DOONESBURY
ing them fairly as consumers of
higher education.
A 28-year old graduate stu-
dent recently went to the federal
Office of Consumer Affairs with
his complaint. He was refused
admission to a doctoral program
for failing a newly required
examination. But his university
wouldn't tell him what his grade
was, wouldn't let him repeat the
test, and wouldn't even allow his
to transfer his previous graduate
credits to another campus.
Other students have com-
plained about deceptive advertis-
ing in college catalogues, refund
policies, scholarships, loans, and
—most frightening to campus
officials—poor quality teaching.
So far, the Consumer Affairs
Office has been processing such
student complaints the same
way it handles complaints
against any other business, but
it's still too soon to determine
what kind of results such com-
plaints will have.
The number of consumer
complaints and suits is growing
so rapidly that student consum-
erism was the number one sub-
ject at the recent annual meeting
of the Association of American
Colleges. According to one
frightened college president,
"They're not out to reform the
world or even the university.
They're out to get remedies for
their own problems."
In other legal action, a group
of students at the Los Angeles
and Santa Barbara campuses of
the University of California are
planning to sue the university's
regents this winter to abolish tui-
tion. The group, Students
Against Tuition, will argue that
student fees amount to an
unconstitutional tax that vio-
lates their "fundamental interest
and right" to attend the public-
university. Specifically, the stu-
dents will charge that only the
state legislature—not the regents
—has the right to impose fees.
The regents traditionally have
set fees since tuition was first
imposed at the university several
years back. —earth news
Committee deadlines extended
by GARY BREWTON
At Monday night's meeting
the Senate voted to extend
indefinitely the deadline for
application for student positions
on the University Standing Com-
mittees.
External Affairs Vice-Pres-
ident Carl Treleaven presided at
the meeting for which both Pres-
ident Steve Golvach and Internal
Affairs Vice-President Marty
Sosland were absent.
The Senate also heard a re-
quest by Don Botsch, student on
the Admission Committee, for
Henry, it seems the
invasion option is no longer
viable. My budget people
tell me thereto no way we
could pay for it. Tbo much
money involved.
finally
decided
10 make
time- for
a bath,
Macazthur!
/
yes, sir.
you're veri
600d with
the harp
decisions,
sir.. i
your.
excellency,
i have your
inaugural
speech herb
for you..
WHAT IS
IT, MAC-
K: We could get the money.
It could be arranged. I
know where it could be
gotten. It is not easy, but
it could be done!
H
SO
WHAT'S
ON YOUR
MIND,
MAC?.
WELL, SIR, TO-
MORROW'S YOUR
INAUGURATION—
ANP THEINAI/6URAL
BALL! IWS60IN6
TO SUG6EST YOU
SCRUB EXTRA HARP.
\
GOOP
MAN/-
YOUPO
FAST
WORK!
\
ACTUALLY, SIR,
IDIPNT WRITE
IT. IT'S THE SAME
INAU6URAL SPEECH
USEP BY EVERY
PREVIOUS 60VERN0R
OF THE ISLANP.
help in recruiting "blue chip"
students. Botsch has currently
been involved in a massive let-
ter-writing campaign to give the
applicants a personal view of the
University. Action was put off
until 'the next meeting so that an
Admissions Committee could be
set up under the By-Laws.
The Senate took final action
to approve a change of wording
in the Constitution. The change
deleted a reference to the Hou-
ston Council of Colleges, which
is now defunct.
Travel expenses of $200 plus
$50 for "emergency purposes"
was appropriated so that two
students could attend the Con-
ference on Racism being held in
Boston. Jan Forney, who made
the request, had originally asked
that the $50 be used for food
expense; however, since it had
not been the policy to pay for
meals at conferences, the Senate
specified that the money could
be used only for unforeseen
costs.
The Senate received a report
of the TSA convention from
Car! Treleaven, Discussion was
postponed until the next meet-
ing. Also, Calvin Slater sub-
mitted the Campanile trial bal-
ance.
by Garry Trudeau
P- Hmm...
P- No, it is wrong —
that's for sure.
K' What's that gpt
to do with, it?!
INDEED
I WILL,
MflcARTHUR!
tVE BEEN
LOOKING
FORWARD
TO THIS!
p0 you
have any
instructions
forme,
sir?
irs SORT OF AN OLP
TRADITION- SAMOANS FEEL
VERY SECURE WITH THIS SPEECH.
IT'S GOT SOME REALLY GREAT
5© PROMISES, AND SOME VERY
f(\ NICE REFERENCES TO OUR
PLACE IN THEtMRLPOmmY!
uh... yeah!
write me a
speech, orper
the booze,
anpsenpan
invite to my
olp lady!
ON IT/
'gj
"MEN OF SAMOA'.
I BRING YOU
GREETINGS
FROM PRESI-
DENT McKJNLEY..'.
..OR
WHOEVER..
the rice thresher, thursday, february 13, 1975 — page 3
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Brewton, Gary. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 62, No. 28, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 13, 1975, newspaper, February 13, 1975; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245223/m1/3/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.