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.
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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.