Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1979)
o-oping — an alternative to classroom learning By PATTI SHOQUIST Battalion Reporter dents searching for an alternative to consecutive years of classroom learn- may find what they are looking for in Cooperative Education Program. !o-op is a non-traditional approach to [cation which enables a student to al- iate semesters of work and school, king three or four semesters (includ- iummers) provides a student with one to 15 months of work experience, ost of Texas A&M University’s col- require that a student have at least a point average and one or two of academic study to be eligible ieco-op program. The program is not to undergraduates. Some colleges academic credit to students while are working. pting to join the co-op program is all students should consider,” Henry Pope, coordinator of the m in the College of Liberal Arts, p aims to make students more em- ibleand give them a competitive edge icjob market,’ he said. Yates, coordinator of the program ie College of Engineering said, “Most :ge students expect to find a good job high pay in an ideal location when graduate, but some of them must set- r less if they have little or no work rience.’ iowever, students who receive on- ib training through the co-op pro- usually find themselves in a better I grade Jesters ted Jething I Dr, position to get the job they really want after college,” he said. Pope said the co-op program remark ably changes some students. “Students come back to school from working with the added confidence of knowing that they can hold down a job, he said. Yates agreed that there are advantages to the program. He said co-op helps students to elimi nate career choice errors, since they find out if they are suited for their jobs. Some students decide against their orig inal career choice, he said. Yates placed a chemical engineering student in a job at a chemical plant and the student was un satisfied with his job, so he came back to school and changed his major to account ing. ‘‘At first I felt bad that things didn’t work out for the student,” Yates said, “but then I though that three months of testing a career was a small price for him to pay, since he could have ended up spending his life in a chemical plant had he went on to receive a degree in engineering.” Through co-op, students find what they can expect in their jobs. Roy Husley, an engineering co-op student said, “Co-op al lowed me to examine my career and I was shocked by the amount of non-engineering work involved.” He said he learned that engineers do a lot of paper work. Co-op also helps students see what courses they need to emphasize in school. Pope said co-op experience seems to motivate students in their studies as well. “Leaving school and friends made me start thinking in a different direction. Since I know what’s out there, I know what goals I must shoot for,” said Hans Kenner, an engineering co-op student. “Any student planning to enter the co-op program must first work out a feasible degree plan,” Yates said. A good degree plan will help a student graduate without too much delay, he said. However, Yates said, co-op is not for every body. “Co-op is like two sides of a coin there are some disadvantages. “Some students have excellent job op portunities in family businesses or with companies, so they don’t need to turn to the co-op program for a job,” Yates said. “For others, working during the summer is all the job experience they want before graduation.” Another problem is that some students can’t get used to going to summer school. Pope said. “If students would look at school as a 12 month enterprise, they could adjust to working for a semester and HEW funds help extend AirM’s program Texas A&M University’s Cooperative Education Program is the 15th largest in the nation, said J. Malon Southerland, di rector of the program. In order to further expand the program, the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) granted Texas A&M $100,000 for the 1978-79 academic year. The University has applied for an additional $175,000 from HEW to con tinue expanding the program next year. “Co-op is a program worthy of funding in order to expand it and make it available to students in all disciplines, so that they may gain work experience before gradua tion,” said Steve Yates, coordinator of the College of Engineering’s co-op program. Texas A&M is one of the 316 universi ties that received more than $15 million in funds from the HEW for such programs. Presently, seven Texas A&M colleges are participating in the co-op program. They include the colleges of Agriculture, Architecture and Environmental Design, Engineering, Geosciences, Liberal Arts, Science and Veterinary Medicine. The co-op program went university wide three years ago. The College of Geo sciences joined the program last year; the College of Engineering has had a co-op program since 1963. “Our intent is to keep the program growing,” Southerland said. The College of Education and the College of Business will begin co-op programs Sept. 1. Southerland said he expects the College of Business’ co-op program to be nearly as large as the College of Engineering’s. The key to expanding the program rests with the students’ interest and participa tion in co-op, Southerland said. He noted that there are generally more co-op jobs available than students to fill the positions. “We estimated that 620 stu dents would be in the co-op program last year, when actually there were over 720,” he said. “Yet there were many jobs left unfilled. “We must make more students aware of the wide range of opportunities available in co-op,” Southerland said. In order to inform more students about the program, the co-op coordinators from each of the participating colleges will host a Co-op Fair Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. They will distribute information and answer students’ questions about the pro gram at various locations on campus. picking up the need hours in the sum mer.” However, Yates said that some students don’t like to break the continuity of their courses. For example, some students want to take all of their math courses in a se quence with no break in between. “Though taking a break to co-op isn’t any different than putting down the books for summer,” Yates said. Co-op creates a psychological problem for some students. Pope said. “Many feel that they are dropping out, but it takes a lot of courage to leave the University and friends behind.” Leaving rommates in a bind and losing housing deposits are other problems that co-op students encounter. However, ar rangements can be made between co-op students to switch apartments when they go to work, Yates said. Weighing the pros and cons is the only way for a student to determine if co-op is right for him, Pope said. Yates said more students are turning to the program, as he talks to prospective co-op students every half hour all day long. He said students and employers are generally receptive to the program, how ever, some resistance comes from faculty members. Once they become more famil iar with the benefits of the program, fac ulty members grow increasingly suppor tive, Yates said. HE BATTALION )l. 72 No. 95 I Pages Tuesday, February 13, 1979 College Station, Texas News Dept. 845-2611 Business Dept, 845-2611 Slipping from fingertips The Aggies looked like possi ble Southwest Conference bas ketball champions just weeks ago. Last night the Longhorns looked that way, defeating Texas A&M 65-57. See pages 9-10. inly A&M. concert missed Boston gives no word By SCOTT HARING Battalion Reporter a day of negotiations, there is still ortl on the fate of 7,500 or so tickets he canceled Boston concert. Dston, one of the leading rock bands in country, canceled its scheduled Sun- night appearance here, saying that irist Tom Scholz was ill. onday night Boston played to an audi- ! of about 9,000 in a “packed” Stephen ustin Coliseum in Nacogdoches, said Johnson of the SFA student news- ir. All five members of the rock group brmed, he said. The only concert the ip missed was the one here, rooks Herring, chairman of the MSC n Hall Committee, said he was told Scholz had some kind of 24- or 48-hour stomach virus. Even though Herring said, “We believe everything is legitimate. Town Hall has asked for the name of the doctor and the hospital that treated Scholz Friday night. Johnson said Boston called a news con ference Monday night. A group spokes man said exhaustion was the reason Scholz could not perform here. He said a doctor suggested they lay off a day, since the group has been on tour for several months. The spokesman said that Boston is plan ning to reschedule an appearance here, but didn’t say when that would be. Herring said he talked to Premier Inc., Boston’s booking agency, but they said lOllfW 1 Match set at sunset Senior Richard Rosinsky makes the most of the recent sunny reprieve from icy weather. Rosinsky was one of many Texas A&M students who stayed on the University’s tennis courts until the last glimmer of Sunday’s Sunset. Battalion photo by Lee Roy Leschper Jr. there was nothing they could do about the situation. Herring tried to contact Boston’s per sonal manager Monday night but couldn’t reach him. Herring said he would pursue negotia tions “very heavily” Tuesday. He said Bos ton is scheduled to play in Shreveport, La., Tuesday, and that he might fly there to talk to the group’s manager personally. Herring said he didn’t know how it would all turn out, at least “not until to morrow’s over with.” Carter vows to work with Khomeini United Press International WASHINGTON — President Carter said Monday the United States “stands ready to work” with Iranian leader Ayatol lah Ruhollah Khomeini, whose followers have overthrown the U.S.-backed gov ernment there. “Our objective has been, and is, a stable and independent Iran,” Carter told a news conference. “We stand ready to work with them.” He said his most pressing goals in Iran now are to ensure the safety of American citizens there, to minimize bloodshed “and prevent intervention by outside gov ernments and ensure the independence of Iran.” Carter also said the cutoff of Iranian oil to the United States amounts to 500 mil lion barrels a day, or 2.5 percent of the nation’s daily consumption. He said there is “no immediate danger” from the oil shortfall, and added it can be compensated for if Americans obey the 55 mph speed limit, use car pools and public transit and keep their thermostats at 65 degrees. He called recent moves in some state legislatures to wipe out the 55 mph limit “ill advised.” Asked about the possiblity of rationing gasoline in light of the unstable situation within the nations that supply the United States with fuel. Carter said, with special regard for Iran: “The situation is not cru cial now. ‘ It’s not a crisis but it certainly could get worse. If the Iranian production is not restored rapidly. Carter said, the United States “would have to take strenuous action” to ease the shortage in U.S. supplies. Carter was asked whether the United States would be willing to go to war to protect Taiwan if China launched an attack against Taiwan. “I have no intention of going to war, ” he replied, adding that he is confident that China plans no such move. Carter said the United States had done all it could to get a commitment from Pek ing to settle mainland relations with Taiwan peacefully. “We did,” he said, “get the maximum — in my opinion — that was possible.” The president will fly to Mexico Wed nesday for a three-day visit, during which he will meet with Mexican President Jose Lopez Portillo. Paramount in their dis cussions is sure to be Mexico’s newfound petroleum wealth and the energy needs of the United States. y P r~' -NS ... „ •. •; - .. . .. ---..j ■ '' - ( •" ■ • , • * TV' Vl - 4 ’ . 7 ’ " 4 * 4 ' r ■ 4 - s It was a Sun-Day College Station residents took to the outdoors in hordes Sunday to enjoy the first sunny weekend in some months. It didn’t matter whether being out doors meant playing in the grass or just sitting under a tree watching a softball game. Battalionj)hoto by Lee Roy Leschper Jr. Bryan postpones decision of city of private ambulances By JUDIE PORTER Battalion Reporter After discussing using firemen or a pri vate company to provide an ambulance service for Bryan, the city council Monday postponed a decision until other cities’ services can be studied. The discussion came in the wake of the Jan. 29 decision of Bill Thornal, the owner of Mid-Tex Ambulance Service, to not seek renewal of his operating permit, which expires March 31. Fire Chief Don Van Huss prepared for the council a report that estimated the cost of a fire department-run Emergency Med ical Service, with two ambulances con stantly ready, at $144,259 per year. The report also outlined an alternate plan in which the department would keep only one ambulance ready at a cost of $53,922 a year. “We have not started any training what soever,” Van Huss said, “but if business quit tomorrow, the Fire Department could do it.” The city’s current contract with Thornal grants him a $2,000-a-month subsidy or $24,000 a year for running his one- ambulance service. Thornal had asked the council for $5,000 per month, which would raise the total annual cost to $60,000, said Hubert Nelson, Bryan’s former acting-city manager. “I’m not willing to pay someone $6,000 or $7,000 more than we would be paying if the city ran their own service,” Council man Wayne Gibson said. The council decided to hold up action on the matter until research could be done on ambulance services on other cities. Mayor Richard Smith suggested the report be ready by the Feb. 26 council meeting so a firm proposal could be made and agreed upon before Thornal’s permit ex pires. In other action, the council approved a speed limit of 45 mph on a part of Briar- crest Drive that stretches to F.M. 158. An ordinance was also passed amending the city’s code concerning mobile homes and trailers. It requires mobile home parks to keep additional records and to revise their requirements for anchoring and blocking. The ordinance was passed in an attempt to recover property tax lost on mobile homes leaving the area. The council also decided to try an alter nate design to lower costs of im provements to Coulter Field. The alter nate design was considered because the low bid for the present design was $4,570 more than the engineers’ cost estimate. A resolution was also passed acknowledg ing the services of Hubert Nelson as acting-city manager of Bryan. Nelson was presented with a copy of the resolution and council members expressed apprecia tion for his services. The council adopted a resolution ap pointing Ernest Clark as City Manager re troactively effective to Feb. 1, 1979. Woman seeks televised trial United Press International BEAUMONT — A district judge Monday scheduled a hearing Feb. 20 for a defendant’s request to have her trial for narcotics sales televised. Judge Leonard Giblin Jr. is expected to rule against the motion of Ima Jean Baker because the State Code of Judicial Con duct forbids televising trials. Defense attorney Dexter Patterson said he might take the issue into the federal courts system if Giblin refuses to allow the trial to be televised.