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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 21, 1986)
Wednesday, May 21,1986/The Battalion/Page 3 State and Local kills test for freshmen roposed by committee I SAX MARCOS. Texas (AH) — A College Coordinating Board com mittee lias adopted a proposal to re quite all freshmen entering Texas’ public colleges and universities to take a basic skills test after they have enrolled. I The test of reading, writing and mathematics would be used to place students who need extra help in the jiroper courses. I In no case would it bar college en- trv to am student who is otherwise qualified, although all students ■could have to pass the test by the time thev have completed (i() hours, or approximatelv two years, of de gree-credit work. Robert Hardestv. president of the Southwest Texas State University and chairman of the Committee on Testing, said. "Our studies indicate that a full SO percent of Texas stu dents entering their freshman vear of college are def icient in at least one of the basic skills. " The problem is we have no way of identifving those students or helping them eat Iv in their college careers. And vet we know, from the experience of several other states, that students who receive remedial instruction .are three times more likelv to be successful in college than those who need such instruction but do not receive it." 1 he committee first considered a test to be given at the end of the sophomore vear. Hardestv said. "But it soon became obvious to us that the earlier we identified the stu dents with the problems, the more time we would have to help them,” he said. lurtSjtt :e how Bi. rstandia es hejtiJ that Pti , what 4 Man pleads guilty to charges of promoting obscene things BEAUMONT (AP) — A man who operated a video cassette business in a house co-owned by state Sen. Carl Parker has pleaded guilty to charges of pro motion of obscene materials and delivery of marijuana. State District Judge J. Neil Daniel of Abilene on Monday sentenced Daniel Jacob Lee, 59, to 10 years probation and fines totaling $6,500. Parker, 51, a Port Arthur Dem ocrat, was indicted by two differ ent grand juries on charges of promotion of prostitution, distri bution of obscene materials and perjury, but those charges were later dismissed. A third grand jury failed to indict Parker. Parker said he bought the Port Arthur house with Lee in 1969 as a real estate investment, and that he sold his interest in it after an April 19, 1984, raid by police and Jefferson County district attor ney’s investigators. Police seized more than 400 X- rated videotapes during raids on Happy Times Video, officials said. Chinese vice premier applauds U.S.-China economic relations DALLAS (AP) — Economic rela tions between the United States and China have progressed but are far from reaching potential. China vice premier Yao Yilin said Tuesday. " The trade and cooperation in the energv field between our two sides lias alreadv become a tide which has promoted the development of our present relations." Yao said during a joint speech with Dallas Mayor Starke I avlor. Yao. who arrived in Dallas Mon- dav w ith a 20-member entourage of government and trade leaders, is the highest-tanking China government off icial scheduled to visit the country this vear. In Dallas — the fourth of live cit ies on the lout — the delegation con centrated on the oil industrv, tech nology and housing and food distribution. ” I exas holds an important posi tion in the development of the L.S.j economy." Yao said. "Your experi ence has aroused great interest. "Tm happv to know that Texas’ advantage in the energy field has al readv played its role in China’s en ergv development. Some of vour oil companies nave participated in the sniveling and exploration of China's oil resources." Mavor Tavlor. w ho urged Yao to use often the city's kev he presented, said guidelines for increased eco nomic activitv between the two coun tries are ah each being developed. "It is our belief that exchanges of information, of know-how. are pav ing the wav for times ahead." he said. Tavlor cited mutual benefits in business, tourism, science and higher education among others. Moreover. China "merits the at tention of foriegn investors,” Yao said. Yao later was to tour the Electro nic Data S\ stems headquarters. Also visiting the citv are Chinese Ambassador Han Xua and the heads of the state planning commission and the Foreign Ministrv's Americas department. After leaving Dallas, Yao was scheduled to \ isit Seattle. Tourist bureau prepares for busy summer By Katherine Cooper Reporter The State Department of Tou rism won't be taking the summer off. jl bey'U be working hard to boost an lalieach-burgeoning Texas industry Idtat will set all-time records this ■yeai. Tourism is one of the state’s top live industries, savs Dave Allred, a jfrepresentative of the State Depart- |ment of Tourism in Austin. This r ear Texas is expecting a re cord 40 million out-of-state visitors ho tire expected to spend a record iS 16 billion, he savs. The tin eat of terrorism is keeping Imanv L.S. tourists at home this rear land Allred stir s he hopes the state I will grab its share of this rear’s larger ■market. Also, because of the weakened position of the L.S. dollar, people f rom oil rich count t ies, like England and so forth, are vacationing in the United States because it’s a better travel bat gam.” Alli ed says. The Texas Tourist Development Agencv was created in 1963, Allred stir s, and the number of out-of-state visitors has increased every year. The agencv adr ertises in national magazines but lot the most part con fines its advertising to publications sent to travel agencies, Allred says. In many localities chambers of commerce, convention centers and visitors bureaus work to bring visi tors to ti particular area. Alli ed savs. "We realh work hand-in-glove with the chambers of commerce and the State Department of Safety and Public Transportation's tourist in formation bureaus." he sac s. This summer the tourist informa tion bureau is celebrating its 50th anniversarv. The bureaus were started in the summer of 1936 and were first manned by Texas A&M Cadets. "In the f irst three months of 1986, 555.000 people stopped at these visi tor information centers," lie savs. Sin vevs conducted through these centers show that most visitors come from Oklahoma and Louisiana, Allied savs. Cheaper gas prices should contribute to heavier traffic flowing into Texas from neighbor ing states, he says. The agencv has also been adver tising on television. "Through out promotions, tour ists are just beginning to realize that Texas has mote than flat deserts,” Allred savs. Ml H'ritff at the i®; to live' nes that' Altered he Uni'* .tter'V^ erstooth Place your Reservations NOW! ($15. 00 Dep. Req.) Cheap Summer Storage (22 SF cubicles) All summer only $75 (Beginning May 1 ; - Sept. 15) Security " + " Storage 2306 S. College 779-SAFE Post Oak III Post Oak Mall 764-0616 Sweet Liberty PG 7:30 9:40 Fire Fire 7:35 9:35 SCHULMAN THEATRES 2.50 ADMISSION 1. Any show before 3PM 2. Tuesday - All Seats 3. Mon-Wed Local students with current ID’s •DENOTES DOLBY STEREO Killer Party 7:50 9:50 ryour lS ,beif CASH for gold, silver, old coins, diamonds Full Jewelry Repair Large Stock of Diamonds Gold Chains TEXAS COIN EXCHANGE 404 University Dr. 846-8916 3202-A Texas Ave. (across from El Chico.Bryan) 779-7662 Cinema III Skaggs Center 846-6714 Advertising in The Battalion is as Good as Gold! 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