Quest for new coach may shape future of athletics by PHILIP PARKER position without another job standing Committee on G. W. McReynolds, an committee's input is expected In the wake of the sudden lined up. Intercollegiate Athletics alumnus. Akers said that the to be minimal. resignation of head coach A1 Meanwhile the hunt for a (CIA): Dr. James Castaneda group will also inform the Although former Rice Conover, a group headed by new head man continues. The SWC faculty representative newly created committee football great Dickey Maegle Vice-President for External search group (not committee and chairman of CIA, Dr. reevaluating the Rice athletic has publicly tried to attract Affairs W. W. Akers and per se) consists of Akers, Bale Alan Chapman, George Miner program before announcing (continued on page 3) Athletic Director A. M. "Red" and four members on the of the "R" Association and Dr. the decision, but the Bale are leading the search for replacement, a decision that will greatly affect the future of the athletic program here. The move by Conover came as a surprise to the coaching staff and the administration. Reportedly Big A1 had survived an alumni attempt to oust him in early December. The effort was not too well Hie organized and failed when the backers balked at buying the remaining two years of his contract. It was expected that Conover would remain .. ope through at least next season. But on December 31, Conover informed the university that he wanted to be released from his contract citing a "business offer too volume 63, number 30 thursday, january 8, 1976 good to turn down." The next morning at a regularly scheduled recruiting meeting thresher he told his staff of his gets into Bicentennial with lecture series resignation and the infor- mation was released to the by GARY BREWTON being underwritten by Institute, Rice was the focus of level of University involve- press. Houston National Bank and is intellectual stimulation for ment in community thought Conover left immediately to Rice will make its own open to the public. (The bank is many Houston people. has disappeared, recent years go to Tampa, Florida to coach contribution to the nation's sponsoring Cooke's series, Lectures and special programs have brought signs of renewed in the American Bowl All-Star over-publicized bicentennial which runs through the end of drew great crowds to the game this Saturday. Fie should celebration with a program of the year, on KTRK-Channel campus. Though that high (continued on page 3) return to Houston this twenty short courses entitled 13.) weekend. Interpreting America, The short courses will not be He has not revealed the taught by Rice professors. broad surveys, but rather four Registration ends next week exact nature of the "business Unlike much of the bicen- or five thought-provoking opportunity," feeding specu- tennial overload, though, this meetings, lectures, or Registration for spring signatures are still required. lation that he was indeed program may be more than performances with discus- semester courses is now in Drop-add slips are available in bought out of his contract. just a lot of hoopla and self- sions to get participants to progress. Students may add the Registrar's office in Lovett However, another source, Jack praise. make their own interpreta- and drop courses without Hall. Agness, Houston Post Designed to complement tions about Americans' arts, penalty and without instruc- Students may designate a sportswriter speculates that Alistair Cooke's acclaimed heroes, ideals and accomplish- tors' signatures up until the course pass-fail, also, but not no such offer exists and that documentary series America, ments. end of the second week of until the slips arrive — around Conover left his coaching Interpreting America is In the early years of the classes, although advisors' January 16. The deadline for designating a course pass-fail or for adding a course is the end of the fourth week of Number of birds expected to drop this season classes; the deadline for by DAVID BUTLER happened—at least I like to of a concerted attack utilizing is normally the peak of the dropping courses and for Preliminary estimates by think what happened—was flashlights, ultra-high- migration cycle, the procedure changing a pass-fail to a Rice's leading bird watcher, that those trees that we had frequency loudspeakers, and, will be added to the regular regular grade is the tenth week Assistant Biology Professor messed with were acceptable if all else fails, the traditional maintenance schedule. of the semester. But if you make any course changes Dan Johnson, indicate that to [the birds] as long as it bell music.' However, Johnson will not be (other than those involving the traditional January wasn't too cold. When they around to see the final success If tree-trimming continues the pass-fail option) after the scourge may not be anywhere really got hit by the cold, they or failure of his planning; he looked for more shelter." to keep the bird population plans to leave Rice at the end second week of classes, it will near the magnitude of cost you $10. C'est la guerre. previous years. The current down through January, which of this year. bird population, according to Presently, they have found Johnson, is probably in the that shelter in the trees neighborhood of 50,000, as surrounding the house of President Norman Hacker- compared to 1.24 million last man. They also occupy trees in year. front of Jones College South, While an official bird- near the first entrance to the estimating survey has not yet campus (Main at Sunset), and been conducted by Johnson's the woods behind the ^ Bicrtogy 346b students, Hackermans' home. informal monitoring by John- son over the semester break noted arrival of our fine The resurgence of sub- feathered tenants around the freezing temperatures Wednes- 28th of December, when they day and Thursday ought to took up residence around the hasten the departure of the Chem lecture Hall, the area birds for the woods along Main between the Chapel and Street, which ought to occur Fondren Library, and the "within a few days' time" Wiess parking lot—precisely under regular circumstances, the areas where trees had been according to Dr. Dan. trimmed in an effort to However, as the Thresher discourage the birds from went to press Wednesday nesting. night, it was unknown However, when a cold front whether the cold or the hit the campus on the 3rd of Physical Plant employees' January, sending tempera- tactics would flush the birds tures into the 20's, the out first. Tuesday night, at situation changed. As Mrs. Hackerman's request, the Johnson describes it: "What birds received the first efforts Guess who are back. -wiley senders editorial For many weeks last semester speculation among students and faculty ran high that President Hackerman would soon resign, upon reaching the age of 65, and that we would soon be involved in the selection of a new president. Hackerman himself provided much support for this speculation when he told the Faculty Council and others (including the Thresher) that he would remind the Board of Governors at its March meeting that he was due to retire effective July 1, 1977. Also, it was Hackerman who established the policies that faculty should retire at 65 and that administrators should not generally serve in the same position more than five years. IK) SUN® miti So it was a great surprise when Hackerman told OUR NOSE IT numerous faculty last December that his contract with the Board had been extended to June 30,1978—but that is not X# OfWtubtri gTMZ all. In an interview with the President just before / Christmas, the Thresher learned that Hackerman and the Board of Governors have agreed to what is in effect an open-ended arrangement by which Hackerman will threshing-it-out remain president so long as he wants the job and so long as the Board is satisfied with his performance. Their agreement is to be renewed each year. Given the Board's Ma Bell's timing off, student says well-known high opinion of Hackerman (last spring at the with service people when they were incorrect. Let's hope the Rice Associates dinner Board Chairman Herbert Allen December 6, 1975 David M. Tippel called back to check the line FCC does not hear about this. called Hackerman the "best college president anywhere in Unit Manager and claimed it was working. Being of a reasonable frame the world") and given Hackerman's vigor which belies his Southwestern Bell Finally, we explained to of mind, I decided upon paying age, it is possible he may remain president for many more Telephone Company someone that the phone was the bill in full, feeling that this working only at odd times, and years to come. Houston, Texas particular discrepancy would that the best way we had found not again occur in all Dear Sir: Why the change in plans? Perhaps he never intended to to regain a dial tone was to reasonable probability. In view of your recent retire—note that he never said he was going to retire July slam the phone against the That judgement seems to interest in Rice University wall, but that this only worked 1,1977, but merely that he would "remind" the Board that, students-Southwestern Bell have been premature. On according to policy, he was due to retire on that date. His occasionally and the phone November 21 we received a Telephone relations, my was taking on a battered roommate and I felt you might billing dated November 15 choice of words was very precise, and apparently that appearance, and the neigh- whic^ included two calls to precision was lost on many.