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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 28, 1991)
Page Continu "Biol science moder science have i the ne 1 focusii logy. 1 dersta: Som group worry more than a "If orienti ing tc owns "I doi logy, 1 one in "Wi mal p ing b part i just « plant shoul phasi gy- An than Contii onstre nated est pr Pag many from if y i ] i i Finance Page 12 The Battalion Wednesday, August 28, Business leaders in Texas pursue active roles, higher standards in education CORPUS CHRISTI (AP) - In February 1990, more than 1,800 Corpus Christi business leaders and officials from five area school districts met for 2.5 days on the quality of the region's educa tion. The result was a 60 percent jump in the number of business partners for area schools and pro liferation of volunteer groups ded icated to some critical needs for children, including accredited day care. Now community leaders are working to pull those efforts to gether into a single entity — the Bay Area Consortium for Educa tional Excellence. Experts say such involvement by business and community vol unteers will be greater than ^ever in the state this school year, which began Monday in many Texas cities. The reason is the sweeping school finance reform law passed by the Legislature this spring, which is shifting state funding from property-rich districts to those that are property-poor. In districts where state funds are being cut, teachers and admin istrators are looking to the com munity to help fill some gaps. In districts that are receiving more money, some community and business leaders have pressed for new standards of accountability for educators. ''They're not only more in volved," said Darvin Winick, chairman of the coordinating com mittee of the Texas Business and Education Coalition. "They're coming in from the periphery to the heart of the matter — how do you organize, how do you man age, what do kids need to know." The business-supported Tax Research Association in Houston two months ago recommended nine reforms for the Houston In dependent School District that in- clude'higher salaries, year-round schools and fewer administrators. The group also defined several goals for elementary school per formance, including having 95 percent of students reading at their grade level by 1997. Only 54 percent of fifth graders in the state's largest district read at fifth- grade level last year. In Dallas, a commission ap pointed by school board members last month proposed major re forms. The commission called for a more balanced view of students' multicultural heritage, greater control of schools at the campus rather than district level and said business should pitch in to a $2.5 million incentive fund to reward teachers and administrators whose students, show achieve ment. The Dallas school board will consider the recommendations next month. The education committee of the Texas Association of Business is nearing completion of a compre hensive study of public education in the state. The committee will make recommendations on such topics as year-round schooling and relations between the state ed ucation agency and school dis tricts. Such efforts reflect growing so phistication in communities about education, Winick said. "It is the maturing of the re form movement," he said. "Edu cation is very complex. It's taken the business community and other activists six or seven years to focus on what they want to do." The 41,000-student Corpus Christi Independent School Dis trict is one of dozens in the state where the foundation for such in volvement was laid in the early 1980s. Seven years ago, the district began encouraging businesses to adopt a school. Now, each one of Defense contractor makes Tb improvements on plane its 60 schools has at least one busi ness partner and many have sev eral. Students learn people other than teachers and parents care for their progress, said Henry San tana, who oversees the district's community involvement pro grams. "They see these bankers come in with their suits. Bankers always wear suits. And the kids are real impressed," Santana said. The district's programs have grown. For the past three years, the school system and city parks department sponsored after school programs for so-called "latchkey" children, who would otherwise be going home to an empty house. A mentorship program start ed last year. Volunteers were even allowed to take students out of school for activities. Many of the volunteers be longed to organizations being pulled together by the new Bay Area Consortium for Educational Excellence. Its leaders will set goals at an October retreat. "There are no miracle cures. It's not a short-term focus we're looking at," said Deirdre Norton, a former teacher and organizer of the consortium. FORT WORTH (AP) - Gener al Dynamics production officials have made several improvements in the F-16 program since an Air Force general complained that the Fort Worth plant was in a "nega tive spiral." Air Force Gen. Ralph Graham, director of the F-16 program for the government, complained in a letter to Herb Rogers, who was the division's general manager, that he was deeply concerned about the plant's performance. Graham said each day brought "new revelations of defective en- "It's hard for them to doth; “— because they are making its: some airplanes are going to com _ out a little bit late," Graham said "But some of the things theyai- . doing are in the long term going Tk / gineering" on important new pro grams coming on line, including the production of a new version of the F-16 for the Israeli government and a technologically advanced F- 16 for the Air Fdrce. He also said that the Fort Worth plant was in a "negative spiral." Robert Schwalm, the division's vice president for production, has pushed for drastic actions at the GD plant since last May, including temporarily shutting down part of the production operations. The improvements have pleased the Air Force brass, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram report ed Sunday. "Now GD is taking some very hard actions," Graham said in a recent interview. "They are doing things on the production line that are flat-out painful. M to have a very positive impact. 1 ' Schwalm was moved toFoit Worth from CD's Land Systems I" 6 ™ 3 Division near Detroit in Aptii P ears ! 1990. Before Graham's letter i:l* en May, Schwalm had realigned P e . ^ management of the plant's pro r’Jl ^ duction process and put in plats systems to monitor individual at eas. For the first time it allowed GD to note quality and efficieno problems early in the process. But Air Force officials wanted more drastic action from the com p u j] ti pany, according to GD insidersths c hestra newspaper didn't identify, andi; ca p use , June they received it. packag Schwalm decided to shuijj fiauntir down the portion of the plant tha an( j ar i produces the center fuselage of tkK n d ac ] F-16 to concentrate on findinjl| va ii a i ways to better perform tasks sudil most a as putting together the aircraffsHhj-jtish main landing gear doors. f or unc j Schwalm's fpcus has beenor| p xo creating an organizational strut as g OS | ( ture in the plan that is "simple and jja yi v , accountable." His challenge, hou er thei ever, has been to do that in a pi®;, & r0 wth that employs tens of thousands oil ji evv re people who were facing the poss; bility of being laid off because oil g/ 0£ defense budget cutbacks. |Mortal The Battalion Classified Ads Phone: 845-0569 / Office: English Annex Help Wanted Help Wanted Services Attention Allergy Sufferers If you are experiencing red and Achy eyes you may be eligible to participate in a clinical re search study using a currently marketed drug. You must be between the ages of 18 and 65 and be in good general health. Financial compensation is provided upon successful completion of the study. If you are interested in finding out whether you are qualified to be a part of this study, please contact. G&S STUDIES 846-5933 Win a trip to DISNEY WORLD distributing subscription cards at this campus. Good income. For information and application write to: COLLEGIATE MARKETING SERVICES, Box 1436 Mooresville, NC 28115. BACK PAIN STUDY Patients needed with acute (recent) onset of muscle spasms (back pain, etc.) to participate in a consumer use research study with an FDA approved drug. Medical evaluation at no cost to patient. Eligible volunteers will be compensated. G&S STUDIES, INC. 846-5933 THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE has Immediate carriers openings for off campus routes. $450-$700 per month. Require working early morning hours. Call James 693-7815 or Julian 693-2323 for an appointment. STAY HOME- MAKE MONEY! | Assemble our products | and earn up to 8339.84 per week. | (704) 323-3376 CKt -Jbai Easy! No selling. You're paid direct Fully guaranteed. Amazing 24 hr. re corded message reveals details. Kitchen helper 3 to4 hours a day. 3:00 or 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sorority House. 693-1439. Free Scholarship Information for students. Please call tor freebrochure. Results guaranteed. 1-600-937-1797 ext. 14. 184t/8/28 Make $150-$300 in 3-10 hours, by selling 50 funny, College T-shirts. No financial obligation. Smaller and larger quantities available. Call TolFFree 1-800-728- ^80. Needed cheerful Christian person to do meal planning, shopping and cooking for father and daughter. Hours M- F, 3-7 p.m. Pay above average. Negotiable. 823-0700. References required. Dependable People Wanted for Houston Post. Routes early morning S300 - $800 month 846-1253, 846-2911, TA J AZZ and BALLET Instructor Needed: For local dance studio. 1 to 2 nights a week, 693-0249. Professionaitonephoneoperatorwanted part-time MWF's from 5-7. Every other Saturday from 9-5. Apply with Randy in person at Varsity Ford. Make $75.00 an hour. EASY MONEY I Call (919) 471- 6518. Leave Message. Part-timeand/ortull-time. Mechanically inctined. Ableto meet public. Good personality. Strong. Transmission 4 Less/House ol Tires. 1407 S. Tx Ave, Bryan 779-2458. NOW HIRING! Part-lime help wanted for Grapevine Restaurant. Please call and leave name and number. Patsy will call for interview. 696-3411, Love to do counted cross-stitch! 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Call 822-7911 or 846-4242 Ext. 7118. Adoptions ADOPTION IS LOVING. Happily married, professional couple want to share our hearts with a healthy Infant. Will provide lots of love, security and TEXAS PRIDE. Legal and medical expenses paid. Call 1-800-523-5036. Gun Club ARROWHEAD GUN CLUB. Non-members welcome. Skeet-PIstol-Trap-Rllle Ranges. OpenTues-Sun, 10a.m. Hwy. 6 S. 1/4 mile past Texas World Speedway. 690- 0276. Services Concerned about your Sudent Loan Payments? For TRULY PERSONAL service, consider us for all your consolidation needs. Call 1-800-829-4599 for details. GREATER EAST TEXAS SERVICING CORPORATION, INC Professional typing, word proc essing, resume writing and editing services are available at Notes-n-Quotes \ca\\ S46-2255 Professional Word Processing Laser printing for Resumes, Reports, Letters and Envelopes, Typist available 7 days a week ON THE DOUBLE 113 COLLEGE MAIN 846-3755 Rosumes with job search assistance, package included. Ten years job placement experience. 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Complete with personal classified ads, sate and discreet. Send personal description and ideal partners description with $10.00 to : The Topper News P.O. Box 7575 C. S. Texas 77844. (For free issue send SASE to P.O. Box.) 1987 HONDA ELITE 80 FOR SALE, ONLY 2700 MILES $700. 693-5658. KAWASAKI '83 LTD250.HELMET$640 NEG. 764-8563. Miscellaneous ANY SIZE WATERBED$169. Complete with headboard frame, deck, pedestal, liner, mattress, heater, fill kit and conditioner8only. TODAYS WATERBEDS 1104 Harvey Road (Next to Post Oak Mail). Personals TALK LIVE Beautiful women waiting to talk to you 24 hrs. anytime. 1-900-386-5555 $2.50/min. 10 min/minimum Live conversation one on one. 1-900-454-9955 $2.50/min. 10 min/minimum SINGLES CONNECTION A friendly, easy way to meet exciting singles, (names & phone #'s included) 1-900-535-7777 2.50/min. ATTRACTIVE GIRLS LIVEI 1-ON-1. 1-900-568-3425. $10/CALL. NO MINIMUM. LIVE TALK 1-900-773-3777. Adults only. $Z50/mln. 10 minute minimum. Live talk one on one, adults only. 1-900-773-8300,2.50/ min., 10 min/minimum. La Quinta drops shareholder protection plan project SAN ANTONIO (AP) — La Quinta Motor Inns Inc. said it has dropped its poison-pill defenses and extended the contract of Sam Barshop, its 61-year-old founder and top officer, by five years. The actions, announced Mon day, were taken at a La Quinta board meeting Friday. They indi cate the board no longer considers San Antonio-based La Quinta a candidate for sale or breakup. "I think the appropriate re sponse to that is the company no longer is actively being market ed," said Alan L. Tallis, an execu tive vice president with La Quinta. The so-called shareholder rights plan was a sticking point with the motel chain's two largest shareholder groups, the Bass-Tay- lor group of Fort Worth and In dustrial Equity (Pacific) Ltd. of La Jolla, Calif. Both groups control 14.9 per cent of the company. Now each will be able to accumulate larger positions. The corporate defenses were erected in September 1990 and al most immediately came under at tack by the two shareholder groups. album, Mexico sells largest bank to group for $3.18 Billion MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico on Monday sold a controlling in terest in the country's largest bank to a group of investors for $3.18 billion. Roberto Hernandez Ramirez and his Grupo Regional bid the equivalent of $6.29 a share for Ba- namex, which has a market value of about $3.95 billion, the Trea sury Department said The winning bid covers 31 percent of all shares along with an option to buy another 20 percent, the : Treasury said. The govern ment owns 70.72 percent of Ba hr less embe ead C nd oth Altl tept, jfbrough namex stock. [spark c The 120-year-old bank is con| project, sidered the biggest prize in tteji turned i privatization oftne Mexican bank dull me ing system. The Salinas admin- On I stration has been selling off bank:, and Shai and other state-owned enterprise: Watts-I as part of its free-market reforms, brough Hernandez is a former heado: the Mexican stock exchange. Thf Treasury Department said the'’ are 800 investors in the iriv ment group, which owns a majoi stock brokerage and an exchange! house with offices in Mexico Cityj Cuernavaca and Monterrey. Airline rules hurt wild bird sales LOUPOT’S Bookstores 3 Locations Northgate Redmond Terrace Southgate ATLANTA (AP) — The pet bird business says it's being un fairly harmed as a growing num ber of airlines stop shipping wild birds for commercial use. Seventeen airlines have now stopped shipping the birds under pressure from animal rights groups. And the pet industry, faced with fewer sources of the birds, is crying foul. "It's very hurtful," said Willie Lawson, a Miami pet wholesaler. "They're driving me out of busi ness. They really have us by the throat." But animal rights groups, in cluding the Humane Society, say the conditions under which the wild birds are transported are harmful and often fatal. "There's no good way to ship a bird if it's a wild bird," said Dr. Teresa Telecky, an associate direc tor of the Humane Society. "They're captured in the wild and are easily stressed animals." Ms. Telecky said about 14 per cent of the 461,861 wild birds flown into the United States foi the pet trade in 1989 died eitherin transit or soon after their arrival. American Airlines and Della Air Lines in the last two weeks be came the latest carriers to stop the practice. Both said they acted after being targeted by a massive letter writing campaign against the wild bird shipments. American shipped about 4,001) wild birds a year and Delta shipped about 3,000. The ship ments were a negligible source of revenue, they said. The most popular imported wild birds are parrots, finches, cockatoos and mynahs. Senegal, on the west coast of Africa, is the greatest single exporter. The birds that make it alive range in cost from about $12 fora parakeet to $15,000 for a large hy acinth. More common among the ex otic birds are macaws, which are priced between $1,000 and $1,500. STAR TEL STOP - LOOK - LISTEN STOP Searching for a long-distance company! Let Star-Tel work for you. LOOK for us at the MSC and around campus (Blocker, Academic Bldg., Pavillion, Sbisa, and the Commons) LISTEN to what we have to offer! Convenience (Payment can be droped off at any of the 3 Loupot's Book store locations). • Courteous one-on-one communication with office personnel. • Low cost. Standard saving of up to 50%. • No deposit, no set-up fees, no monthly charges, and no minimum usage. • A tradition with Aggies since 1981! 409 N. Texas Ave. 821-2830 Bryan, Texas