Monday, November 2, 1987/The Battalion/Page 3
State and Local
Ex-House speaker: A&M offers
student lobbyists ‘connections’
Rehabilitation center helps
disabled students find jobs
A&M research helps
make U.S. stronger
in world competition
By Leslie Guy
Reporter
A new area of research estab
lished at a Texas A&M institute
this semester strengthens tech
nology and industry through in
novation and design and makes
the United States more compet
itive in the world market, said an
A&M associate professor of me
chanical engineering.
Dr. David Jansson, director of
the Institute for Innovation and
Design in Engineering, also said
the institute will attempt to pro
vide greater educational opportu
nities and to ensure students are
aware of society’s changing needs
and demands, he said.
Since 1980, the number of
American exports has remained
constant, while imports have
drastically increased. Jansson at
tributes this change to U.S. tech
nological innovations, which he
said are unable to effectively com
pete in the world market.
This has prompted the need
for research, he said. Instead of
competing with existing A&M re
search programs, the institute will
cooperate with them in areas of
mutual interest, Jansson said.
“The issue is design in the field
of engineering, but it is using and
cooperating with other disciplines
dealing with design,” he saia.
A division of the Texas Engi
neering Experiment Station, the
Institute of Innovation and De
sign covers a broad area, not just
the College of Engineering. Jans
son said the institute works with
architects, psychologists and busi
nessmen. Its character of provid
ing a multidisciplinary approach
to a multidisciplinary problem
makes the institute unique, Jans
son said.
“Very few educational institu
tions have given this area the
proper attention, and A&M has a
unique opportunity to develop a
one-of-a-kind center of excel
lence in both research and educa
tion in design,” he said.
To launch the program, the in
stitute has received $250,000
from the experiment station, and
it is attempting to expand into
other fields, Jansson said. Later,)
the institute hopes to receive
funds from the government and
industry.
Jansson said he hopes the insti
tute ^ijl lead to an expansion of
the design curriculum within the
College of Engineering.
State judge places ban
on Texas oyster harvesting
By Drew Leder
Staff Writer
Bill Clayton, former speaker of
the Texas House of Representatives,
told student lobbyists Saturday
Texas A&M gives them an advan
tage when dealing with the state leg
islature other lobby groups don’t
have.
“You have some additional tools
that they don’t have — the Aggie
connection,” Clayton told students
in the Clayton Williams Alumni Cen
ter.
Clayton, a Class of ’50 A&M grad
uate and president of a political and
business consulting firm, gave tips
Poll: Backers
of racing issue
exceed rivals
HOUSTON (AP) — Support
ers of legalized pari-mutuel bet
ting appear to outnumber oppo
nents as the issue goes before
voters Tuesday, a recent poll in
dicates.
The poll showed 60 percent
people surveyed showed support
for legalized betting among poll
respondents who said they might
vote. 40 percent of likely voters
who responded said they op
posed legalized betting.
Rick Wilson, spokesman for
the Rice Institute for Policy Anal
ysis, which supervised the poll,
said the Harris County poll re
flects statewide attitudes.
In Tuesday’s election, voters
will consider whether Texas
should legalize pari-mutuel wa
gering.
The poll shows supporters of
legalized betting believe it will
bring increased revenue and
more jobs. Opponents cite reli
gious and moral beliefs, as well as
concerns about crime, Wilson
said.
on effective lobbying techniques to
A&M’s Legislative Study Group,
representatives of the Student Gov
ernment, and student representa
tives from Tarleton State University
and East Texas State University.
The LSG is a Student Government
organization that lobbies for Student
Senate-backed state legislation.
Clayton advised the students to
seek out former A&M students in
the legislature whenever they need
support on a position.
“Use your Aggie connections,” he
said. “Aggies are always ready to
communicate with other Aggies.”
Clayton said that in his 21 years in
By Tracy Hinton
Reporter
Finding jobs for the disabled is
high on the priority list of services
provided by the Texas Rehabilita
tion Commission, senior counselor
John Greening said.
“Basically, our goal here on cam
pus is to serve all the disabled peo
ple,” Greening said.
The commission has a statewide
goal of finding employment for
15,000 people, incluaing 35 Texas
A&M graduates.
“We try to help them find a job
they want, and a job they are able to
do,” Greening said.
The clients of the agency have a
wide range of physical and mental
disabilities such as orthopedic defor
mities, alcoholism, drug addiction,
diabetes, kidney problems, cardiac
disorders, hearing difficulties,
speech disabilities and character dis
orders.
Greening said the main disabilities
of the people served on the A&M
campus are orthopedic in nature.
the House, he encountered A&M
graduates all over the world who
were almost always happy to help
out another former student who
needed a favor.
Another tip Clayton gave the stu
dent lobbyists was most legislators
have big egos and should be treated
well if their help is wanted.
“They’re all prima donnas, they
all begin to think they’re somebody
special,” he said. “Say little things to
let them know that they have an im
portant position and that will open
the door a little more.”
A lobbyist is essentially a
salesman, Glayton said, who must
“Even though the most common
disabilities are visible, the number of
learning disabled clients is increas
ing,” Greening said. “Approximately
one-third of the clients nave visible
disabilities, and the other two-thirds
have hidden disabilities, many which
are unreported.”
“Even though the most
common disabilities are
visible, the number of
learning disabled clients is
increasing. ”
—John Greening
A person must meet two require
ments to receive services from the
agency. First, he or she must have a
disability, which results in a substan
tial handicap to employment. Sec
ond, the services must be expected
to benefit the person in terms of em
ployment.
Greening said the commission is
sell himself and his ideas to someone
with influence. To be an effective
salesman the lobbysist must know his
issue inside and out, Clayton said.
“You want to know what you’re
talking about.” he said. “You want to
know the subject matter so well that
they’re impressed with you.”
But he warned the students to be
extremely careful to pass on only ac
curate information if they expect to
be effective lobbyists for long.
“Integrity in lobbying is like it is in
serving — if a lobbyist once lies to a
legislator, just mark him off the list
because he’ll never be used as a re
source again,” Clayton said.
different than the other organiza
tions on campus because it serves
employment needs. The Texas Re
habilitation Commission is a division
of Vocational Rehabilitation, which
emphasizes employment.
The agency provides a number of
services. Medical, psychological and
vocational evaluation determines the
degree of disabilities and capabili
ties. The top campus service is coun
seling, so the client can plan per
sonal goals. The agency provides
two interpreters for the deaf on
campus. They also provide room
and board, attendant care when
needed, note takers, tutors and mo
bility assistance.
Greening said his average case
load consists of about 230 students.
A case is left open until each client
successfully completes 60 days at his
newjob.
Each person receives an individ
ual plan while working closely with
the counselor. Currently, there is
one counselor, but a position for an
other one has been approved.
ANAHUAC (AP) — A ban on
oyster harvesting canceled the sea
son’s normal opening date Sunday,
and an oysterman says he will chal
lenge the shutdown.
On Saturday, State District Judge
Carroll E. Wilborn struck down a
ruling that would have allowed the
oyster season to begin as scheduled
Sunday.
The ban was set to enable de
pleted oyster populations to recover.
Following Saturday’s ruling,
Chambers County oysterman Joe
Nelson said he would seek a hearing
on the matter in Austin as early as
possible.
Meanwhile, oystermen caught
harvesting oysters face a $500 fine.
Nelson estimates the ban will cost the
Texas economy about $750,000 per
day, and leave 300 to 400 people
without work.
“It’s a very large industry, and it
regulates itself,” Nelson said. “When
you can’t make money at it, you
quit.”
OH...
60 GIVE
SOME
BLOOD!
1987AGGIE
BLOOD DRIVE
November 2,3,4 & 5
Commons—10
MSC-10 o.i
i.m. to 8 p.m.
. to 6 p.m.
SBISA-10
Zachry—10
.m. to 6 p.m.
i.m. to 5 p.m.
Also on Nov. 6 at MSC —10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“Sponsored by The Aggie Blooddrive Club”
Another service of Student Government, APO, OPA.
THE
BLOOD CENTER
at Wadley
Illustration by Kyle E. Jones
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