K S HoSHER Voiume 75, Number 8 Rice's ill-staffed newspaper Friday, October 9, 1987 Government report cites former Ric£ pfbfessor by Michfele Wucker article, headlined "Nicaragua Is work. A report released this week by the Aimed for Trouble," appeared March The report, though, cited a memo- General Accounting Office, Con- 11, 1985, in the Journal. randum, dated March 13,1985, from gress' investigative arm, alleges that a The State Department is prohibited Jonathan S. Miller of the public diplo- former Rice professor's article pub- from using appropriated funds for macy office, which claimed that Guil- lished in the Wall Street Journal was certain types of publicity and propa- martin "collaborated with our staff in Wmm •&>/ part of an illegal State Department ganda. the writing of this piece," which was "white propaganda" operation. Naval Guilmartin said the State Depart- "devastating in its analysis of the wmm JM history professor John F. Guilmartin, ment paid him $500 "to render an Nicaraguan arms buildup." The ar- Jr., who left Rice in 1986 to teach at assessment of the strategic implica- ticle, however, was credited to Guil- Ohio State University, said the accu- tions of the Reagan administration's martin alone, with no mention of the sation was "totally and utterly with- Central American policies." He said diplomacy office's involvement. <* SA « out founding." he believed his work was intended to "That column was the result of my The GAO report said Guilmartin, provide information for "internal ideas, my analysis, and only my while a Rice adjunct professor of analysis" and to "disseminate infor- analysis," said Guilmartin. He dis- history, had served as a consultant tg mation overseas through the United counted the report, and criticized the State Department's Office of States Information Service or any Miller's memorandum. "A man who Public Diplomacy for Latin America other avenues." I wouldn't know if I fell over him is and the Caribbean. The public diplo- Guilmartin said he approached the taking credit for the article that was macy office arranged for Guilmartin Journal on his own initiative because published," he said. to write a column supporting the the subject was one that had interested Guilmartin also said he was sur- Reagan administration's Central him for "many, many years." The prised that the Journal article was America policy, the report said. The Journal, he said, did pay him for his see Propaganda, page 7 Pub to cut costs to survive by Judd Volino ience for students, but it will still cluding air conditioning, waste dis- Although Willy's Pub lost $15,213 make money," said Gass. "At 25 posal, custodial work, and campus last year, it will continue operation cents, a person in line would probably police protection, decreasing ex- under several new policies designed be willing to pay for a stranger in front penses by over $7,000. to cut expenses and generate revenue. of him." see Pub, page 6 John F Guilmartin when he was at Rice According to Student Association Pub Manager Doug Moore said the President Kevin Gass, changes in- cover charge will take effect October clude charging a 25-cent cover charge 15. Minority office to be proposed on Thursday nights, decreasing oper- The pub will trim its operating by Leigh Anne Duck eluding Rice's investments in South speakers, historical exhibits, and ating costs, and changing the hours hours to the times when the largest Vice President for Undergraduate Africa. music festivals being sponsored by the pub is open. number of students attend. On Mon- Affairs Ronald Stebbings and a task "The task force is needed to see that ethnic groups to provide knowledge To generate new income, Gass day and Friday it will close at 12:00 force of members of the Black Stu- the office does happen and that it is among the student body of their eth- proposed the cover charge on Thurs- a.m. instead of 2:00 a.m., and will be dent Union are developing a proposal implemented properly," said BSU nic heritage." day nights, traditionally the pub's closed all day Sunday, according to for a central office for minority af- President Steve McVea. "I'm glad to busiest night. Gass hopes the cover Moore. "To me, that's not a frill," said fairs. see that the students' opinions are Davidson. "One of the real advan- charge will raise approximately Gass has worked out an agreement A minority affairs task fQrce will being asked." tages of having an ethnic minority on $2,000 each year. with Vice President of Administra- meet with Rupp later this month to Stebbings emphasized that the campus is so that the majority can "We chose a quarter because we tion William Akers to cut the amount discuss plans for the office as well as form and extent of the office's duties leam about their heritage and what don't think it will cause an inconven- Rice charges the pub for services in- issues of concern to minnritip.^ in- have not yet been determined. "From they contribute to the Americ an expe- the input I have received from stu- rience." dents, faculty, and staff, I would as- Mc V ea agreed, saying, "Some type Berndt out sume that the office will address of financial support has to come from widespread interests, from admis- the university because a lot of stu- sions to retention and into place- dents get a lot of cultural satisfaction ment," he said. ' from clubs such as the BSU." A central minority affairs office In an effort to secure grants for would provide support for all ethnic funding a minority affairs office. Rice minorities. "There is a very important has submitted proposals to various problem of assimilation, a race rela- foundations. Applications submitted tions problem, if you will, that exists to ARCO (Atlantic Richfield Com- at Rice," explained Sociology Profes- pany) and the NALCO Foundation sor Chandler Davidson, advisor to the have been approved. Black Student Union. "This is not "I think it is worth noting that prior simply a black/white problem, but to the receipt of these grants the presi- other ethnic minorities also have their dent asked me to begin efforts to own difficulties in dealing with an develop a plan for a minority affairs overwhelmingly white peer group office," said Stebbings. "My guess is and faculty." that we would have had such an office McVea says the office will "pro- anyway." vide assistance for minority students Stebbings said he hes been ga.her- and act as their voice to the admini- see New, page 6 stration." Its principal goals would be advances in minority admissions re- cruitment, financial aid, academic INSIDE: ana social counseling and career Opinion: Pitch-black campus placement. The most immediate ef- nights are dangerous, p. 3 fort will be recruiting black profes- sors. News: Senate approves Davidson sees this office as an Campanile's greenbacks, p. 6 opportunity for the expression of Fin© Arts: Kurt Vonnegut's minority cultures. "An example is new book Bluebeard, p. 11 Black History Month, which at its Rice Football Coach Jerry Berndt on the sidelines Saturday during Rice's game against the University of Texas at Austin. best is genuinely educational for Sports: Cross country leavei Berndt didn't have much to celebrate—the Owls blew a halftime lead to lose 45-26. Texas has not lost to Rice since the blacks as well as whites," he said. "I opponents red-faced, p. 17 1965 season. _M. Gladu see possibilities for seminars, outside 2 Friday, October 9.1987 THRESHER Opinion A needed office for minorities The Rice Institute was founded and chartered specifically for white students. The question of the admission of negroes is therefore.. .entirely academic. —Former Rice President William V. Houston, in a 1949 letter to the Thresher editor The official attitude of Rice University toward minority students has come a long way since our founder William Marsh Rice created an all- white institution in his will. The establishment of a minority affairs office, a cause which has finally gained administrative support in recent weeks, will be another step toward affirming a solid place for minorities within a university (W culture that still is not enriched by diversity as much as it should be. One important function of the office will be to aid in recruiting minorities to Rice. Blacks and Hispanics each comprise only about five percent of this year's freshman class, while the faculty includes even ho smaller percentages of these groups. Competition for top minority students and professors is fierce among schools like Rice, and a minority office would be able to help the 7 university'scause by printing information for prospective students, and PlAYBe by providing special attention to them. Many other colleges and universities already have minority affairs offices. Furthermore, the office will help minorities at Rice by providing a better support system. Steve McVea, president of the Black Student Union, has asked that the office provide academic and social counsel- 'Grim career ism' disturbing ing, assistance in career placement, and a plaee for communication A disturbing national trend among SPANNINGTHE HEDGES among minority students. students is grim careerism, an obses- sion with obtaining economic secu- by Dennis Kelley The office will also have the opportunity to represent minority causes rity to the neglect of all else. to the university. A top priority should be establishing some scholar- Infected students focus solely on Grim careerists do not care For example, a friend of mine who ships at Rice specifically for minority students (to our knowlege, there what they see as being practical to the whether they like their work or derive recently interviewed for a job with a are none).