Dissolution of MSC NOVA at Texas A&M University
ana...@utxvms.cc.utexas.edu
Star Fleet Battles was handled badly with poor judging. I heard complaints
from AD&D players about impossible modules. Worse, losing players had nothing
to do but cruise the dealers room. I hope A&M manages to put together a well
managed gaming convention. If I am anywhere near, I would be happy to attend a
revised CON (NEOCON DECENTCON?).
Jason Timothy Adams
Center, the Texas A&M University gaming committee will be dissolved
effective Fall of 1995. The reasoning behind the removal of the gaming
committee held that gaming was not an important part of student or
community life at this campus of 42,000 and thus there was no need to
have a gaming committee sanctioned by the University. Technically, this
means that NOVA would become an independent student group. However,
without the funding, limited as it was, provided by the MSC Council, NOVA
will not be able to host either NovaCon or Warcon (the oldest gaming
convention in Texas). The sole purpose of MSC NOVA has been to conduct
these conventions and the occassional tournament for the student
population at Texas A&M University. Without the Cons, NOVA dies...and so
will most of the gaming opportunities at Texas A&M.
All is not lost, however. At present, the dissolution is merely a
proposal, that is sure to be rubber-stamped through the main council of
the MSC. There is a meeting scheduled for this coming Wednesday, March 29
in which Council will here any criticisms of their policy from members of
the student body and community. This is the only time and place that NOVA
can be saved, as the legislation has been ramroded through council with
such speed that NOVA was not even made aware of its demise until Monday,
March 27. All old NOVAds or members of GROMMETS (the previous incarnation
of NOVA) and anyone else who wants to see another NovaCon/WarCon should
attend this meeting. We desperately need assistance in order to survive...
Thank You,
Jason Adams
MSC(?) NOVA Officer
(jta...@tamaix.tamu.edu)
Sorry for the abruptness, but these are trying times...
Bradford Wayne Everman
I went to A&M for 3 years, and NOVA basically, in few words, sucked.
They need to re-vamp, spark more interest in the club. NOVA hardly
advertised when I was a student there, just for the 2 cons, that was about it.
Deathdog
Ben K Krauskopf
student at A&M.
I am unaware of the particulars concerning why gaming is not considered
a part of student life at A&M. If it has to do with NOVA membership and
ther performance of the cons then it is no surprise. NOVA has never done
a particularly good job of making people feel welcome or part of it's group.
College Station would not be able to support three game stores if there
weren't gamers around. If the conclusion that students do not game is drawn
from intrest in NOVA then perhaps it is an indication of a poor job on the
part of NOVA. I run a gaming group of 10 people. All of whom were either
tired of the way nova was run, or were never made to feel welcome on gaming
nights. I suspect there are dozens of other groups like mine in college
Station. NOVA is clannish and tends to make people feel unwelcome. Most
conversations seem to revolve around how to screw people in your favorite
game system or wargame, or why every other form of gaming and/or game system
that isn't the one the speaker favors is stupid and no sane person would
want to play it.
In conclusion I must say that it seems to me that the membership of NOVA
has made a lot of people feel unwelcome. It seems to have come full circle
as you are being told that you are no longer welcome. Albeit for the wrong
reasons.
Ben Krauskopf
bkk...@tam2000.tamu.edu
Margaret Marie Lasater
Jason Timothy Adams <jta0777@tam2000> wrote:
>Due to the findings of an ad hoc committee of the Memorial Student
>Center, the Texas A&M University gaming committee will be dissolved
>effective Fall of 1995. The reasoning behind the removal of the gaming
>committee held that gaming was not an important part of student or
>community life at this campus of 42,000 and thus there was no need to
>have a gaming committee sanctioned by the University. Technically, this
>means that NOVA would become an independent student group. However,
>without the funding, limited as it was, provided by the MSC Council, NOVA
>will not be able to host either NovaCon or Warcon (the oldest gaming
>convention in Texas). The sole purpose of MSC NOVA has been to conduct
>these conventions and the occassional tournament for the student
>population at Texas A&M University. Without the Cons, NOVA dies...and so
>will most of the gaming opportunities at Texas A&M.
>
As a student at TAMU and a former member of MSC Nova, I am offering
my opinion. The loss of MSC funding and the possible death of MSC
Nova just might be the best thing that ever happened for gaming at
TAMU. Nova often displayed the worst aspects of an "old boys club".
It existed for its little group of people and for their desires. They
did nothing other for gamers as a whole except for the two cons (I get
back to those) and were a impediment to the creation of a _real_
gaming club. Under the MSC rules, as long as they existed with MSC
recognitation, no other gaming related club could be founded. I know,
I tried. At one time there might have been some hope, but Nova has
gotten narrower and more clanish over they years (hard to believe in
a student organization). As far as Novacon and WarCon. Well, frankly,
they are lousy. The Cons reflect the poor state of affairs within
Nova and they have fairly steadily gotten worse. Even the dealers think
they aren't worth the effort. Attendence is low and dropping. In
general a sorry state of affairs. Now I'll admit, the MSC is cutting
funding for all the wrong reasons, but I have maintained over the years
(in many heated discussions), that the restrictions that came with the
funding severely hampered the organization and it would be best if
Nova was independent. I could go on and on, but I'm not going to
air all my horror stories from my years of interaction with Nova. Gaming
at TAMU will continue without Nova and perhaps a gaming group will
be formed which is oriented towards something besides a few people
running a con for their friends.
Margaret
(former member of MSC Nova)
--
"Negotiation may cost far less than war, or infinitely more: for war
cannot cost more than one's life." -- Klingon Proverb