The Aggie Roll 'n' Squirt
Engineering students
design water nozzle
By Billy Moran
The Battalion
A new fire hose nozzle de
signed by 16 mechanical engi
neering students sprayed its way
out of the computer and into real
life Thursday afternoon at the
Brayton Fireman Training Field.
The "Aggie Roll 'n' Squirt/'
as it is known by the students, is
a movable water nozzle mounted
on top of a fire truck and con
trolled from the inside of the cab.
The design and manufactur
ing of the prototype was the
semester project for Dr. Peter
Gien's section of Mechanical En
gineering II last fall.
The device wa6 demonstrated
for the first time on Thursday for
the media and members of the
Austin Fire Department. Also on
hand were 10 members of the de
sign class, who saw their inven
tion at work for the first time.
The idea for the project came
from Charles Page, head of the
Fire Protection Division of the
Texas Engineering Extension Ser
vice (TEEX). He wanted an inex
pensive device to fight grass fires
that could be operated from in
side the truck.
Page took his idea to Gien, an
assistant professor in the Depart
ment of Mechanical Engineering.
Gien took the idea and gave it to
his class along with a budget and
a deadline. The students came
up with conceptual designs, and
then broke up into design, manu
facturing, and research groups.
The designs came together,
and the project was manufac
tured and installed on a Brayton
Field truck.
Project Manager Laurisa
Watkins said the deadline put
pressure on the project.
"Getting people to get stuff
done on time — it's a challenge,"
Watkins said.
The project will not only ben
efit the students and University
officials, but firefighters as well.
Second to heart attacks, the lead
ing cause of death for firefighters
is responding and returning from
alarms. Many firefighters fall to
their deaths from fire trucks.
With the new invention, they
will not even have to get out of
the truck to fight grass fires.
In the future, the Texas Forest
Service may make a kit that
would allow fire departments to
install the device themselves.
The company that donated the
BILLY MORAN/The Battalion
The Texas Fireman Training School tests a fire hose nozzle
invented by A&M mechanical engineering students.
nozzle may market it on a na
tional basis.
Gien said there is the possibil
ity of a patent crediting the stu
dents as the inventors. If a patent
is granted, the design group will
receive a share of the profits —
and a noteworthy addition to
their resumes.
Group member Laura
Churchill said she was excited
about the possibility of patenting
the device.
"People go through life with
out ever approaching a patent,"
she said, "We ^ot a shot at one
on our first try.'
Page said the cooperation be
tween TEEX and the University
is also important.
"It's a two-way street," he
said, "I think we've opened that
direction."
Students to visit
look at A&M lifi
Program invites minority high schooleij
By Tanya Williams
The Battalion
Black and Hispanic high
school seniors undecided about
attending Texas A&M will be giv
en the opportunity to visit and
learn more about the campus at a
conference in Rudder Tower this
Saturday.
The Office of Admissions
Counseling is sponsoring the sec
ond annual "Admit One" confer
ence, which welcomes minority
high school seniors who have
been admitted to the University,
along with their parents.
The "Admit One" conference
is designed to show the various
opportunities Texas A&M has to
offer through presentations by
student organizations and aca
demic programs.
"The program is used to in
crease the matriculation of black
and Hispanic students," said
Chris Brown, Associate Director
of the Office of Admissions. "Ad
mit One sells Texas A&M to a
population that might not have
the opportunity to see the cam
pus."
The program was begun two
years ago because the office felt
there was a need to have minority
students visit the campus.
"We felt that the admitted
black and Hispanic students did
not have the chance to visit the
Gage will welcome the minoi
students and Vice Presiden!
Student Services Dr. JohnKoll
will speak to the group.
Then students will have
opportunity to learn more at
the eight colleges at A&M.The
dividual colleges will holds
sions requirements and oppot
nities available at each school
In the afternoon, students
be treated to a compliment
1 ftlPV will:
lunch at Sbisa, then they
joy performances by Fade
Dance Ensemble and thePri
Time Posse, a dramatic per::
mance group affiliated with
Department of Multicultural
vices.
Students will also have
chance to get an inside lookatt
lege life from a student pois:
view.
An A&M student panel will
available to answer the
school students' questions.
To end their day, studentse
parents will hear about stude
organizations, college life,
various other aspects of All
such as the Corps of Cadets, Hi [
dence Hall Association and
Department of Multicultural
vices.
The Office of Admissii
Counseling expects to haved
to 1,000 parents and students
tend. Current A&M students:
welcome to assist with the ot?
Coordinator stresses class agents' roles
By Robin Roach
' The Battalion
What is a class agent? Class
agents serve as a liaison between
their graduating class, the Associ
ation of Former Students and
Texas A&M.
Class agents are elected during
the spring senior induction ban
quet held each year for students
who will graduate in May and
August. The Class of '92 will be
asked to vote on their class agent
team April 7 and 8 during this
year's banquet. The candidates
will be introduced at the banquet
but will not speak.
Jean Herbert-Wiesenburg,
class programs coordinator for the
Association of Former Students at
A&M, could not express how im
portant the class agents are in
keeping former students involved
and aware of what is going on
with the university and their class
mates.
"Class agents are very, very
important to the association, to the
university, and to the class," Her
bert-Wiesenburg said. "I can not
understate their importance in
what they do."
The class agent candidates run
in teams of three. The teams,
which are chosen by the candi
dates themselves, represent their
graduating class up until the first
formal five-year reunion.
At the five-year reunion, the
former students are asked to vote
for the next team of class agents.
The class agents are required
to attend two meetings a year to
remain up to date on events at
A&M. Currently, agents from the
Class of '21 all the way through
to the Class of '91 meet each year.
Each team of class agents as
sembles a newsletter three to four
times a year and is responsible for
distributing them to their class
mates. Included in the newsletter
is information about the adminis
tration, sports, clubs and financial
updates at A&M.
Through correspondence with
former students, the newsletter
also announces new jobs, promo
tions, awards, births and deaths
that occur in each class.
Prior to the election, class
agent candidates were counseled
on what their responsibilities
would involve. The candidates
were required to complete an in-
tent-to-serve letter.
"All the people that decide to
run have all received information
from our class agent manual about
the duties and responsibilities of
class agents," Herbert-Wiesen
burg said. *■'**-•
The class agent candidates for
the Class of '92 are, by team:
•Mark Miller, Christy Ramirez
and Elizabeth Torres;
•Jennifer Darr, Drew Miller
and Danny West;
•Kristi Lorson, Vanessa
Matthews and Stephen Ruth;
•Kerry Cox, Mike Davidson
and Lesli DeBord;
•Steve Beller, Heather Casteel
and Jennifer Collins.
Winners will be announced
Thursday, April 9.
campus," Brown said. "Admit If students would liketok
One offers the peek at Texas A&M with the conference, thev;
University that is needed." show up at Rudder Foyer8<
To begin the day. Senior Vice Saturday, or call Chris Brow
President and Provost Dr. E. Dean 845-3741 for more information
In Advance
Da
Bran
spee'
the /
(Run-off) C
S
John Ansb;
Lisa Cash
Big Event plans rally April 4 at KyleM,
to kick off annual local volunteer clem\
Ser
Tim Isgitt
Adin Pfeuffi
Ronnie Met
On April 4, the Big Event,
attended by hundreds of
student volunteers, City of
College Station staff and local
dignitaries, will kick off with a
short rally at Kyle Field,
beginning at 9 a.m.
This is an annual
neighborhood cleanup
campaign organized by Texas
A&M student volunteers. The
objective is an improved!
community and neighborhood]
appearance.
This year's event
concentrate efforts in the $
gate area bounded by George!
Bush Drive, Wellborn Roadj
Arizona and Fairview Streets.
Jun
Mark Rollir
Steve Scan
Kim
Vice
Tha
Vice
The Battalion
USPS 045-360
The Battalion is published daily except Saturday, Sunday, holidays, exam periods, and
when school is not in session during fall and spring semesters; publication is Tuesday
through Friday during the summer session. Second class postage paid at College
Station, TX 77840.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald Building,
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1111.
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University
in the Division of Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. Editorial
offices are in 013 Reed McDonald Building. The newsroom phone number is 845-3316.
Fax: 845-2647.
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editorial board or the contributor,
and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Texas A&M student body, adminis
trators, faculty or the A&M Board of Regents.
Advertising: For campus, local and national display advertising, call 845-2696. For
classified advertising, call 845-0569. Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald and
office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 845-5408.
Subscriptions: Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50
per full year. To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 845-2611.
ECKANKAR
Religion of the Light and Sound of God
Eckankar is a religion that teaches there is a spiritual essence, known as
the ECK, that connects each of us with the Heart of God. We can
experience the ECK as inner Light and Sound. Through study and
practice of the Spiritual Exercises of Eckankar, we learn to recognize
the light and Sound of God as It touches our lives, bringing increased
divine love.
You are invited to attend a free
introductory presentation on ECKANKAR
Sunday, April 5th, 4:00 pm,
in the Hilton’s Dogwood room,
801 University Dr. E.
For more information: 822-9081
Presented by the Texas Satsang Society, Inc., A Chartered Affiliate of ECKANKAR
ClipThis
Before Another
Chi
Vic
It's nothing personal against your classmates. It's
just that Ronkin gives students the skills, practice and
support needed to gain an edge in the competition for
graduate school admission. Sure, you want
your classmates to get in. But don't you
want the Ronkin advantage for yourself?
Call Ronkin today.
QJ
JIL_
mciiiuu mu
jLSAT • GMAT • GRE • College Station 764-83 1
Beat the Heat
Sign-up For
SUMMER
ON-CAMPUS HOUSING
APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE
April 1 - April 15
Residence Halls Used:
Sign-Up Locations:
Appelt
Eppright
Rudder
Coed
Coed
Coed Graduate
Spence
Briggs
Gainer
Leonard
Female
Male
Female Private Rooms
Male Private Rooms
$318/session
$318/session
$318/session
$477/session
$207/session
$207/session
$307/session
$307/session
For On-Campus Residents:
North Area Office
South Area Office
Cain Hall Residents
Corps Residents
Housing Office
For Off-Campus Residents:
Housing Office
B-l Lounge
Commons
Cain Hall B115B
Lounge A
101 YMCA
101 YMCA
r w
Phone-In^
Orders
Welcome
Gold Tequil
Margaritas
846-4135
LIVE
99 s
W 1
Friday and Saturday
Show Starts at 9:30 p.m.
Real Mexican
Located in
Northgate
Real Fresh
tami
Academic R
Program Dir
Now
accept
Universidad i
Find out mo
come by Stud
WE ST]
SPOTS
TAMU Study
'61 Bizzell H:
845-0544
i.