Maroon

              CJl« maroon Vol. 60, No. 25 Loyola University, New Orleans April 23, 1982 Candidates face issues in debate By David J. Sherwin Maroon News Editor Student rights and the areas in which the Student Government Association needs to improve in order to advocate those rights were discussed Tuesday in the second SGA presidential debate. The debate was held in the Danna Center Lounge. Presidential candidate Peter J. Couste' 111 said the student government's initial problem in the area of rights is that it does not communicate with the "students or the administration."Martin Cunniff, the other candidate, vowed to institute identity, credibility and continuity, which he feels are three "general areas the SGA needs to improve in." "I feel I am one of the represented who is not represented," Couste' said during his opening statement. Couste' added that the SGA must not wait three months before taking action on an issue. Referring to communication as an effective mode of representation he said, "I'm not talking about having communication that's going.to tell us what the SGA just did, but what is about to happen. Then we can get student input." Cunniff said student rights come under his plan for identity. "I will protect student rights through investigating affairs that affect you, enunciating policies you want shown to the administration and by communicating your views and the views of the administration so that somehow we can reach a compromise." Couste' said, "My opponent addressesaddresses the issues but offers no solutions. I plan on making sure those student representatives on the major university committees report back to theSGA regularly." He added that his experience in dealing with the administration as a student administrative assistant [theater business manager within the department of drama and speech) has i i ii := —mmmmmm Student government presidential candidates Cunniff and Couste' wait for Tuesday's debates to start in the Danna Center Lounge. Voting will take place Monday and Tuesday in front of the Danna Center. —Photo by David Roudreaux Lease and zoning causes complications over Kenner land for Loyola and TEOG By Mike Tiffl Maroon Assislanl News hdilor Plans to drill for oil on the Loyolaowned Kenner tract remain stalled because of land rezoning complications and disagreement on lease terms between Loyola and Texas Energy Oil and Gas Corporation. The city of Kenner has not yet rezoned the planned drilling site for industrial use and the original lease between Loyola and TEOG has expired. Rezoning and renewal of the lease is necessary for the oil company to proceed with plans. "We haven't got the full go-ahead from Kenner," said Phillip Beron, vice president of TEOG, "but we plan to start drilling in July." According to Royce K. Waters, Kenner director of public works, "It [the potential drilling site] has to be rezoned to heavy industrial from single family residential, one of the lowest zonings in the city. They have two chances of getting that done, slim and none." Beron said that he forsees no problems with Kenner over the rezoning of the land and said that "My only problem is with Loyola — otherwise everything is going well." Beron says that the original lease between Loyola and TEOG provided for a three year renewal option if TEOG's operations on the site did not interfere with Loyola plans for other developments on the Kenner tract. "The first six month period ended in March. We told Loyola that we'll start drilling in the next three months, and we want to continue," Beron said. "Loyola told us, 'We're trying to make a deal with a developer.' I said 'Well let me know if I can continue.' They now want $150,000 for an extension." Joan Tolhurst, director of University Relations, said she knew of no new development plans for the Kenner tract. Beron continued, "I called the business manager [John Eckholdt, vice-president for Business and Finance] and he won't return my calls. He's dodging the question." In a prepared statement for The Maroon, Eckholdt said, "Loyola University has fullfilled all requirements of the terms under the original agreement with Texas Energy Oil and Gas Corporation. If Texas Energy wishes to enter into a new agreement, those terms will have to be re-negotiated." "I'm an old Jesuit boy and 1 wasn't taught that kind of thing," Beron said. According to Loyola, an 18-month lease with an option for a three-year renewal expired in September of 1981. "It's a minor problem," Beron said. "My lawyers and their lawyers are now talking about it and wasting our money." TEOG has been plagued with problems in trying to drill for oil on the site. The agreement between Loyola and TEOG was signed in March of 1980. Since then, TEOG has battled unsuccessfully to have Kenner rezone the land for drilling and has dealt with area residents' objections to drilling on the site. Though the land has yet to be rezoned, Beron said problems with area residents have been worked out. "There are no mumbles from the people I've talked to," Beron said. "Everybody is enthusiastic." Dr. C. M. Scully, president of the Woodlake Estates Civic Association, said, "We haven't heard a thing about it in about six months. As far as I'm concerned it's a dead issue. Some of the residents have signed [mineral rights leases] and some haven't. It's kind of split two ways with what the people think." Woodlake Estates adjoins the Kenner tract. PKT finds support in the SGA By Jan Gbur Maroon University Reporter The Student Government Association passed an almost unanimous resolution Tuesday upholding the right of Pi Kappa Theta social fraternity to remain a chartered university organization and be placed on probation rather than complete revocation. However, Vincent P. Knipfing, vice president for Student Affairs, is disappointed with this resolution. "When they do their homework and learn the facts, then they have the right to voice their opinion. When they don't know the facts the resolution is rather hollow," he said. SGA President Ivan Ransopher said, "The fraternity is getting support from all angles; the bill is another endorsement." The committee set out to investigate both sides of the issue, Knipfing's and PKT's, so it could represent student opinion, Ransopher said. The SGA ad hoc committee to investigate PKT's charter revocation consisted of five congress members and five students at large, six of whom are members of the Greek system. Knipfing is discontented with the committee because they wrote the resolution prior to consulting him. He sent a letter to the SGA expressing his objections over the resolution. Knipfing said in a later interview, "I don't want to talk to a group that already made a decision. I stand, and still do, to talk to an objective group, they never sent anyone." Manny Cunard, adviser to the Inter- Fraternity Council, feels the SGA did not consult all sides in the decision making process. "I am not in favor of any resolution that is not based on proper investigation," he said. Knipfing finds that PKT is "hung up on two false issues." He said the first issue is that he didn't put the group on probation. "They have been [on probation] in the past. There is no requirement that they be put on probation," he said. Knipfing said the second issue is that he "consulted no student opinion. "What I did was in accordance with the student handbook and the Office of Student Affairs. It [involving students] was inappropriate in this case . . . . " PKT will meet Wednesday with the Rev. James Carter, S.J., president of Loyola, to appeal the revocation decision. "We will present our case and show cause why we were treated unfairly by having our charter revoked, and that more fairly, we should be on probation," said Mike Lawlor, former PKT president. See Issues/page 2