The Western Texan (Snyder, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 9, 1976 Page: 2 of 12
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THE WESTERN TEXAN - Thursday, December 9, 1976
^editorially*
Ce>4jb of
By PAULA™
We hear complaints everyday about the high cost of education, yet
it enriches our lives by providing employment advancement, train-
ing for occupational and academic programs, and personal achieve-
ment.
When you consider what an education means, its cost is minimal
in comparison to the cost of ignorance — but let's face it: public
state two-year schools continue fighting hard for their "fair share"
of revenue needed to continue offering quality education.
The Coordinating Board, Texas College and University System,
and the Texas Public Junior College Association appointed a com-
mittee to study the financing of Texas' publicly-supported junior
colleges.
They found that funding comes from various programs. The Texas
Education Agency (TEA) provides funds for technical-vocational
courses, and the Coordinating Board provides funds for academic
offerings.
Currently, the state appropriates 60 percent of the total cost of
operation, and the remainder is supplied through local revenues,
such as taxes and tuition. Junior colleges have invested some $462
million in physical plants, primarily from local revenue sources, at
little or no cost to the state, according to the TPJCA.
The Texas Legislature adopted a system of contact hour funding
recommended by the Coordinating Board, TEA, and junior colleges,
beginning with the 1973-74 fiscal year.
The committee collects audited cost data on actual cost of courses
in all public community junior colleges each year and determines
the actual cost per contact hour for each program area. One student
in a supervised learning situation for one hour produces one student
contact hour.
Projected 1978 cost per contact hour for sample academic
programs include: biological sciences $1.79, business and manage-
ment $1.85, fine and applied arts $2.79, and social studies $1.65. Some
occupational program amounts are: agriculture $2.52, automotive
$1.93, electronics $2.48, and law enforcement $1.69. (figures
prepared by the association).
Academic program requests for state aid appropriations, accord-
ing to the Coordinating Board recommended formula-produced
amounts for the 1976 fiscal year sample Western Junior Conference
for junior colleges are: Amarillo $1,635,555; Clarendon $376,521;
Frank Phillips $418,956; Howard $658,701; Midland $759,413; Odessa
$1,779,379, South Plains $1,107,415; and WTC $689,340.
Occupational program requests for state aid appropriations, ac-
cording to TEA recommended formula-produced amounts for the
1976 fiscal year, for these same junior colleges include: Amarillo
$2,896,781; Clarendon $286,344; Frank Phillips $503,573; Howard
$381,381; Midland $520,655; Odessa $1,060,923; South Plains $770,898;
and WTC $394,675.
Increases in money for junior colleges resulted from dramatic
enrollment growths more than significant increases in the contact
hour formula rates. Total dollar amounts appropriated by the state
to community/junior colleges increased by 121 percent from 1971-72
to 1975-76, but the percentage of the total appropriations for public
colleges and universities to community/junior colleges increased by
only 2.5 percent from 17.4 in 1971-72 to 19.9 in 1975-76.
What's ironic is that two-year institutions enroll about half of
students attending a public college or university but receive only
about 20 percent of the funds appropriated for higher education.
Texas public junior colleges like Western Texas are meeting most
all educational needs and are providing quality education at the
lowest possible cost, but help is needed.
Within commuting distance of most of the population, open-door
institutions providing a wide range of learning activities for students
of all ages, working closely with community and industry leaders to
improve educational programs, offering comprehensive oc-
cupational training and university parallel courses — all vital func-
tions of state public two-year schools.
So, what about the high cost of education?
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
To the Editor:
In response to Carolyn Davis'
column of November 24,1 object
to being called "nasty and rude"
and to the insinuation that I am
floating "along the rolling path
to Hell" because I smoke and
enjoy a drink every now and
then.
I also don't appreciate her
attempt at humor (or whatever)
in her description of the police
departments of our country. The
stab at people, some who have
worked long and hard hours to
gain the money and position
they presently hold, that they
can get their prodigy off the
hook when they get into trouble.
Sure, we have some bad police
and rich people, too, but WHY
MAKE THEM ALL EVIL?
Our government does promise
liberty and justice for all, but
let's face it ... justice and any
other human act is subject to
HUMAN ERROR.
Might I also remind her that
the government and the coun-
try, for that matter, is only as
good as she and the rest of us
make it... after all, we do elect
our leaders.
As for the legality of some
things and not others, please
remember those laws are made
by OUR representatives.
Another thing I must point out
is the fact that war may be
stupid to her but, if it wasn't for
war, we wouldn't have the
freedom to worship as we please
and she certainly couldn't say
the things she did in her column
without the fear of the
"authorities (?)" jailing her. Is
war really stupid?
She also speaks of the absence
of spiritual strength in our coun-
try. I won't argue that ... we'll
never have enough. God told us
that.
What about all the other
wrongs we commit daily that no
one, preachers or otherwise,
ever speaks out against? I was
taught that over-doing anything
(within moral reason) is wrong;
that includes over-eating, biting
your nails (which can cause
serious infection), not getting
enough sleep and not always do-
ing the very best you possibly
can. I feel these things are more
harmful to our bodies than a
drink every now and then.
Deficiency of leadership,
compromised morals, stupidity
of humankind... yes we have
them all ... but who decides
what type life we each must
live? We do. NO one tells us; we
do what we want, regardless of
the training and religious
background we have.
Thank you,
Jill Palmer
Citizen Christmas Cash Crush
by Kay Ellington
The season of Norelco com-
mercials, fruitcake and
Goodfellows, is upon us once
again. But, the ringing in the air
you probably hear is cash
registers — not sleigh bells!
West Texans, like most
Americans, are buying more
than ever this year — an ironic
act considering '76 is possibly
the worst economic era since
the Great Depression.
Yet, what motivates massive
spending? "An escape" seems
to be the answer. Disillusioned
with drab, 9-5 living, buyers dig
into their savings and bank ac-
counts to try to purchase — not
peppermint or plastic
evergreens, but the warm, inno-
cent feeling associated with the
holidays.
Trying to make their
pressured lives happier, a great
majority will go into debt for
the occasion. After the new
year, though, creditors will go
after their blood, making their
situations worse than ever.
Thus, it's a vicious cycle.
Going by logic, the Yuletide is
sheer madness.
But, we are emotional
creatures. Regardless of how
empty our billfolds are, we will
go to any length to insure that
magical, affectionate ex-
perience known as Christmas.
Economically, it's absurd.
Nonetheless, most of us will
wait until next year to worry
about it.
So, sit back, watch the little
Santa Claus riding the electric
shaver on the Norelco plug,
have a piece of fruitcake (wash
it down with a cup of good
cheer) and, should the
Goodfellows knock on your door,
give generously.
It's that time of year ... again!
WTPOLL
Students Not Sold On Peanuts!
by Diane Wright
With the major issue of the
year decided (the presidential
elections) the WT Poll question
was, "What is your opinion of
the outcome of the national elec-
tion?"
Melinda Baldwin, freshman,
Winters, "It's all right."
Connie Little, freshman,
Winters, "OK."
Terri Turner, freshman, Stan-
ton, "I think it stinks."
Kelly Wiggins, freshman,
Millsap, "It doesn't make much
difference to me. I wish Ford
had got it instead of Carter."
Dwayne Kemp, freshman,
Roscoe, "I really thought it was
great. I really liked the out-
come!"
Scott McAnally, freshman,
Pecos, "I was displeased that
Carter got it."
Tony Dawdy, freshman,
Pecos, "I was for Ford. I was
disappointed that Carter won."
Jerry Garrett, freshman,
Roscoe, "Well, let's see. I'm not
disappointed — I'm crushed.
Really, I didn't like it one bit. I
voted for Ford."
Jim Richardson, freshman,
Abilene, "I thought it came out
the wrong way. I wasn't for
Carter."
Ike James, freshman,
Saragosa, "I didn't like it.
America's ruined."
D'Lynn Byrd, freshman,
Jayton, "It's all right, I guess. I
don't know — I didn't vote."
Lisa McBroom, freshman,
Haskell, "I'm glad Carter won.
That's who I voted for."
Linda Van, freshman, Rotan,
"I wish Ford had won. We got
rooked!"
Jan Urp, freshman, Baird,
"I'm glad Carter won."
Renee Dodds, sophomore,
Midland, "I am glad Carter took
it."
Carla Welch, freshman, Stan-
ton, "I really didn't care who
got it, but I'm kinda glad Carter
won. I didn't vote, so I really
don't have any say-so about it."
John Bilano, sophomore,
Fluvanna, "Well, I did want
someone else to win. I'd rather
Ford won than Carter."
Jay Crum, freshman, Ft.
Worth, "I think it's gone to
peanuts!"
Russell Lee, freshman, Tem-
ple, "I thought it was pretty
good. I thought it was fair and
the best man won."
Cruz Gomez, sophomore,
McCamey, "I didn't really like
it."
James Goodwin, freshman,
Rotan, "Oh, I don't know. I
guess it was all right."
Tim Pringle, freshman,
Haskell, "I liked it. I thought
Carter would win."
Tommy Taylor, freshman,
Corpus Christi, "Pretty bad. I
think we got a quack for a
president!"
Kim Coulter, freshman, Lub-
bock, "I didn't think it was
worth a damn."
Ron Koerth, freshman,
Ozona, "I didn't like it. I'm for
Ford."
Terry Kendricks, freshman,
Perry ton, "Uh, I would rather
Ford have won instead of
Carter."
Dave Patterson, freshman,
Ohio, "I thought it turned out all
right."
Dave Foster, sophomore,
Dallas, "I didn't think any of
them were worth a ***."
Mike Hamner, sophomore,
Buffalo Gap, "I thought the
wrong man was running."
Eva Clay, freshman, Asper-
mont, "I think we're going to
have a lot of things made out of
peanut butter. I think that after
a couple of months, we'll be able
to tell whether he'll be any
better than the Republican par-
ty would have."
Shirley Glasscock, freshman,
Snyder, "There's going to be a
lot of changes taking place.
Hopefully, the people have
elected a man who will make
the right ones."
Let's hope so!!
The
Western Texan
OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF WESTERN TEXAS COLLEGE
Managing Editor
News Editor
Feature Editor
Sports Editor
Business Manager
Staff Writers
Paula Cornoyer
Diane Wright
Stacy Payne
Randy Parrott
Weldon Jefferson
Kay Ellington, Ivory Grear,
Judi Huffman, Jill Palmer,
Kathy Spencer, Stephanie Stephens
Joel Carter, Linda Grissom, James
Hill, LaDonna Powell, Neely Wri9ht
Nancy Baird, Eva Clay
Mike McBride
College Press Association, Texas
Association, Associated Collegia^
Collegiate Press Association.
Published biweekly by the department of journalism/
Western Texas College, Snyder, Texas 79549, Phone (9 1 5 ) 573-
8511, ext. 273.
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Cornoyer, Paula. The Western Texan (Snyder, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 9, 1976, newspaper, December 9, 1976; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth430209/m1/2/: accessed June 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Western Texas College Library.