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THE VISTA
J une 20, 1991
EDITORIA '\ L
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Walters in trouble cording to Gov. David Walters communication director, L.D. Barney, the governor is no longer
available for comment on campaign contributions. One wonders why he is hiding, or more specifically, what he is hiding. One thing he has not been able to hide is the recent FBI probe into allegations of illegal contributions and promises of political favor. Sam Cole, Walters campaign treasurer, said he was delighted when he learned the FBI had subpoenaed the governor's campaign records. It may be that Cole was being a little too exuberant. Usually, when the FBI shows up with subpoena in hand it is not going to be a day at the beach. The fact is, 'heft ,the FBI takes the trouble to look, they usually find something. The FBI probe is, however, good news for Oklahoma. It could also be good news for the governor. It could serve to clear up the mess the legislature seems to be in, and could put to rest rumors that have paralyzed the executive office. Walters may even eventually implement a capital bond improvement plan so Oklahoma's colleges and universities can continue to function.
Tuition going up
s
tudents told representatives of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education at an open forum in April they were fed up with continuing tuition increases. It is painfully apparent the Regents did not listen. Since 1982 tuition increases have totaled 145.7 percent and will increase another 9 percent this year. They are also implementing an additional dollar per credit hour for an evaluation program. Are we to believe we can go through four years of final exams and still not be properly educated? In order to establish tuition rates the regents compared Oklahoma institutions to those in other states. The Regents said, compared to other states, Oklahoma students pay less tuition. They said they don't think anyone is being priced out of an education. The question remains, is an education from an Oklahoma school worth as much per dollar as an education from a comparable school in another state? In the face of tuition increases and the shelving of the $300 million capital bond improvement plan the answer is no.
Aril* ,34 7:707,0 /1 gy Atzzilef, Sam Powell Barbara Howry Penny Owen Bill Kramer Corina Orrnsbee Peter Roberts Eric D'Arriba Craig Beuchaw
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Larry Rogers Kathy Jo Karr Jeanette McArnis Chris Jennings Andrew Woon Open Mr. Mark Hanebutt
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Letters
Inefficiency plagues financial aid
I
have traveled fairly extensively across the United States and I have gone to three other universities besides Central State University. During this time I have never encountered a department that has attempted to operate under such inefficient procedures as the CSU Financial Aid Office. I began getting all my papers prepared for the summer term back in March. Every time I thought the process was complete a form would come to me by mail stating that I needed yet another piece of information. Finally everything was set, or so I thought. I called the office three times to verify what they kept telling me "...your loan application was sent off on May 30th." Great! Lets see, I have a special 24-hour loan (processing time) service so I should have my loan around the first day of classes. I made plans, post-dated checks
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to friends (my mistake, yes I should have known better) for several debts, told businesses they should receive the money I owed them sometime around the 3rd of June. Then I called the loan company to make sure it was really there. What? You haven't received it yet? The story doesn't end there. After all this I figure I had better check on my status for the fall and start getting it taken care of as quickly as possible. Two weeks prior to this nightmare I turned in my Student Aid Report (S.A.R.) for 1991-1992. I vividly remember walking up to the finance counter and putting the yellow papers in that catch-all wooden box. Yet what do they say, "I'm sorry we haven't received your fall S.A.R.." Don't bother making copies either, they are not official. ... "We can only accept the originals."
May I make a suggestion to the Financial Aid Office? Instead of putting all your eggs in one basket (all the forms received in that one ugly box) have the physical plant build open-end mail boxes for each financial aid counselor. When a form comes in put it in the appropriate box. Bingo! No sorting hassle at the end of the day. This department must be related to welfare or social security. One fills out a request form and puts it in that box. At the end of the day the papers are sorted, and some time during the next day they respond by MAILING the proper form(s) back to the address supplied on the request. Don't tell me this school is so large it needs that much bureaucracy. I have been to larger that run more efficiently. If it were not for the faculty here, I would go back. —Danny D. Sharp CSU graduate student
Brady bill should include 10 test By Jo Pydynkowsky Guest Columnist
Vol. 89, No. 57 (USPS 661-700) Editor in chief Man. Editor AP Wire Editor Sports Editor Copy Editor Advertising Mgr Ad Sales Production Mgr.
VIMIRIPPW:
I was after information on the National Rifle Association to better understand its vehement objections to the Brady Bill, which would make mandatory a seven day waiting period and a background check for anyone purchasing a firearm. When you want information on an organization go to its members. Several of my friends are members. One of them told me the NRA is great for providing insignia caps, decals, bumper stickers and sending out pamphlets on their newest legislation fight. I called the tollfree number and a computer asked me to have ready my catalog and credit card numbers, and a representative would be with me shortly. This didn't yield much information. I already know about capitalism.
Another friend couldn't give me one benefit to belonging to the NRA, but he did say watching hunters is the most fun he has all year. He said they come into his store, dressed for war, fill their coolers with beer and head for Army Corps of Engineer land in southeast Oklahoma. He said these seasonal soldiers sit in their deer blinds drinking beer until a deer, evidently with sinus problems, wanders by. Usually, they're too drunk to notice. Most of the accidents in his region happen when hunters fall out of those deer blinds. My mother-in-law is a member. She said she doesn't know anything about the NRA except they fight with Congress and pay lobbyists to fight dirty. She has an ornamental deer on her lawn. Every hunting season she has to cover it with black plastic. It seems she grew tired of plugging the bullet
holes and painting it after each hunting season. One lady laughed when I asked about the NRA and said, "Hunting season is just an excuse for the men to go sit in the bushes, tell dirty stories, drink beer and get out of doing chores. My husband's been three seasons in a row and never brought back anything but a hangover. I heard stories about missing calves, goats and dogs. One lady told me she found her dog one morning with seven holes in him. He was a terrier. "Even newborn deer aren't as small as Timmy was," she said. I didn't get much information about the NRA's objections to the Brady Bill, but I think the Brady Bill should be rewritten to include an I.Q. test. It might soothe the worries of many and give the deer a good laugh -- all that unexpected peace and quiet. V
