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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 10, 1992)
in The Battalion lo\. 92 No. 9 (14 pages) ‘Serving Texas ASM Since 1893’ Thursday, September 10, 1992 orps initiates plan >&C lab provides leadership skills for non-contract cadets By JULIE CHELKOWSKI Reporter of THE BATTALION With the successful implemen- [ation of an enhanced leadership aining program, the Corps of adets hopes to eliminate internal Iroblems, a Corps official said. The program is a part of an ac- lon plan released by Texas A&M President William Mobley last June to eliminate problems within ■he Corps. ! I Col. Lee McCleskey, opera- ■ions and training chief of the Corps, said it is comprehensive brogram designed to include ju- kior and senior Drill and Cere- honies (D&C) cadets, who do not pursue a commission, in a struc- ured curriculum for leadership evelopment. Previously, D&C cadets have nly participated in non-credit || padership programs. The program does not affect eshman and sophomore cadets _;cause they are required to fol- dw a ROTC program regardless if future plans. The leadership training classes, tfcCleskey said, provide these D&C cadets with instruction on basic leadership skills. "It's a four semester program to better prepare them (cadets) for whatever career lies ahead of them," he said. "It's designed to make a better Aggie and a better Aggie leader in whatever field they choose to enter after they leave here." McCleskey said Gen. Thomas Darling formulated the concept of leadership training several years ago when he recognized D&C cadets were not receiving the for mal training that was needed. "Some were in positions of leadership in which they benefit ed, but others did not," Mc Cleskey said. The program entails four class es, one each semester during the junior and senior years, and fo cuses on issues such as: leader ship traits, ethics, principles of leadership, stress management, human relations (including stereotypes and values), discrimi nation, equal opportunity, moti vational theory, and leadership styles. McCleskey said that so far the program has been successful. "The program has been ex tremely well-received by every body," he said. "They're happy with it and we're happy." Billy Dean, Corps scholastic of ficer, said he agreed that it is a valuable program. "I was very impressed," Dean said. "It provides a forum for se niors to discuss problems of the Corps — not in a chain of com mand situation. "It provides an opportunity for staff to hear the problems of other cadets and it also teaches valuable leadership skills and traits." Currently the class counts only as an elective, but McCleskey said as the program progresses, they plan to have it count towards a degree. Dean said that if the class count towards a degree, it would follow the changing needs of the Corps. "We're trying to make the class more marketable for the future," he said. "We're trying to adapt our pro gram to train more civilians than military leaders." Ollen Chenault, Willy Swain and Reuben Bernal from Texas A&M Water Utilities work to put the finishing touches on the Fish Pond. Work is scheduled to be finished Sept. 10. Insurers consider discounts for academic achievements By ROBIN GOODPASTER KefWfer of UIE BAT!AUON Students who drive may have a new incentive to make good grades. The Texas Automobile Insurance Service Office (TAISO) has proposed that car insurance compa nies offer as mu :h as a 15 percent discount off car insurance rates for students who maintain over a 3.0 grade average. Today, the State Board of Insurers will vote on whether to have a meeting or a public hearing concerning the proposed discount for students. If the board passes this proposed discount, insur ers will have the option of offering good students lower insurance rates. We hope that this discount will encourage a to achieve good grades, perhaps that would carry over to other aspects of that students life - such as driving. "We do not have any statistics that having good grades correlates with good driving, and I'm sure that some people will think this is not sensible," she said. "But we are going out on a limb here, and we are making a leap of faith - hoping that this sense of responsibility will carry over and make students good drivers." Another available discount proposed by TAISO is the "Student Away from Home Discount." This discount would apply to a member of the house hold who is attending school at least 250 miles away from home, does not own an automobile and is not furnished an automobile at school. "This discount is offered under the assumption that the student will be less likely to be driving a car," Slivinske said. TAISO Chairman Jack Crisci said that insurers would have the option of providing either or both of these student driver discounts, and offer up to 15 percent discount off liability, medical pay ments, personal injury protection and collision coverages. To qualify for the discount, a student must be at least 16 years of age and a full-time high school, college or university student. To receive the discount, the student would be required to meet one of the following require ments: 1. be in the upper 20 percent of his or her class 2. have a B average or at least a 3.0 on a 4 point grade scale, or 3. be on the dean's list or honor roll These requirements would need to be met the semester that precedes the anniversary (expiration date) of the policy. If they are not met, the discount would only be valid until the expiration date on the policy. Bill Kuhn, a junior history major at Texas A&M, said that his insurance company already offers the discount. "I think it's incentive to do well," said Kuhn. "But if you make a 23 instead of a 3.0, it doesn't make you a bad driver," Kuhn said. The student driver discounts would hot be available for drivers with miscellaneous type ve hicles such as motorcycles, all terrain vehicles and golf carts. Kenny Mallard, owner of Mallard Insurance Agency in Bryan, said that this is one more way to individualize policies. "If good grades equals good driving, then it would be great," he said. "But there needs to be some correlation between the two." "The idea behind these reduced rates is to save the insurance company from financial losses," he said. "The idea has some merit to it. You would think that the two would correlate together - grades and driving." Food Services keeps students in mind By ATLANTIS TILLMAN competitor's price per once] Editor in Chief of THE BATTALION The privatization of Food Services has been pro posed at Texas A&M and will go before the Board of Regents for final approval on Sept. 24. Students, former students and even contractors have questioned whether this proposal is in the Uni versity's best interest. If passed, the proposal would allow a food-ser vices organization to handle operations in the Sbisa Underground and the University's snack-bar at the Easterwood Airport (Billy Mac's). Once selected, the company would contract with fast food restaurants like McDonald's and Taco Bell to supply food. Lance Parr, a member of the Sbisa Menu Board, doubts that the contracting will end with this pro posal, but will eventually lead to the complete priva tization of the University's Food Services. "Right now only two factors (Sbisa Underground and Billie Mac's) will be affected," Parr said, " how ever, they will probably make moves to where the real money is, in the open board facilities like Sbisa where many more are served." Gary B. Zaleski, of Professional Food-Service Management, Inc. (PFM) also raised this concern. In a letter to Lloyd Smith, director of Dining Services, Zaleski said adequate revenue was not available in contract to keep their prices low. According to Zaleski: "While PFM sees great profit potential for branded concepts, we feel the net result of this and other additional concepts at the sites being considered by the university would be an overall reduction in profit to the universty. ... Based on our marketing survey of your facili ties being considered in your RFP, there is clearly not enough revenue available to generate an ade quate return on our investment. ... It would be nec essary for us to pass along these expenses, in higher prices, to the students and other consumers... I would suggest you operate your own facility, with out a contractor, and pass the savings on commis sions along to the customers." Bottom-line concerns are the primary argument of both sides. Col. James T. Moore, asst. dir. for Board Dining (TAMU) Food Services, said the focus on profits will overshadow the services provided to the students. "They're in the business to make money," Moore said. Information: Food Services Director Lloyd H. Smith ANAS BEN-MUSA/The Battalion "Lloyd Smith had not been informed by Robert Smith to include the Menu Board on this matter. My assumption is that they had no intention to involve us." -Lance Parr, Sbisa Menu Board "We're here solely for the stu- dents. Money made from Food Ser vices goes back to support our services, maintanence, up-grades and keeping our prices low." Prices, the bottom-line concern for students are predicted to rise by as much as 65 percent with the new food company, and that money is not likely to return to the University, or to Texas, said Adin Pfeuffer, Corps public affairs officer. "The difference is that we're talking about a big firm bringing in other firms like MacDonald's and Taco Bell," Pfeuffer said. "Each of them needs to make a profit." Former students have voiced their opinions about the proposal in letters to members of the Board of Regents. John M. Jackson, Class of '88, complains that not only is the proposal a "bad business plan," it would curtail the students' input and choice in food service. According to Jackson, "The contract food service industry has a miserable track record with student input. After all, how could the real customers (stu dents) know anything about what they want to eat?" The proposal, said Corps Operations Supply Offi cer and Duncan Menu Board member Jerry Gonza lez, was intended to provide Food Services with competition. That, he said, is not the case with the proposed long-term contract that is being consid ered. "A short-term contract of this sort would require the company to work harder to ensure its re newal. The long-term contract inherently does not promote competition," Gonzalez said. Gonzalez said the pro posal origi nated from the Depart ment of Fi nance and Administra- tion as a sup posed re sponse to students' requests for it. Robert Smith, vice president for Finance and Administration, was unavailable for comment. However, students involved with the University Menu Boards that serve as a liaison between the stu dent body and Food Services said they were never approached to give an opinion on the proposal. "The job of the Student Menu Board is to com municate to Food Services our wants,wishes and desires as to the menus on campus," Parr said. "Lloyd Smith had not been informed by Robert Smith to include the Menu Board on this matter. My assumption is that they had no intention to involve us." Trade agreement to offer tax relief, professors say By SHARON GILMORE Reporter of THE BA TTA LION The North American Free Trade Agreement will greatly benefit Texas through the reduc tion of tariffs and taxes from firms in Mexico, Canada, and the Unit ed States, said some Texas A&M professors. "The North American Free Trade Agreement is negotiating to eliminate political and economic barriers based on industries and products over many generations," marketing Professor Sam Gillespie said. The United States, Mexico and Canada make up the largest trad ing block in the world, Gillespie said. The agreement is attempting to gradually reduce tariffs, he said. Economics Professor John Han son said he thinks the trade agree ment affects Mexico more than the United States. "It is more significant from the Mexican side than from the Unit ed States' side," Hanson said. "From the Mexican side, there is a very sharp departure from import substitution," he said. "It is a change in their philosophy from the past." Import substitution is the prac tice of trying to keep foreign prod ucts out of a country. Hanson said the agreement will decrease inflation and make trade easier but will not elimi nate all tariffs from both sides. "It doesn't make trade totally free, but takes a big step in that di rection," Hanson said. Gillespie said Mexico and the United States will have job losses with the trade agreement, but new jobs will also be created. "Some industries will benefit while oth ers will suffer," Gillespie said. "All countries will have to adjust and it will take time." Hanson said he believes that trading with Mexico will create more jobs. "I think that it is a myth that somehow the job base will de cline," Hanson said. "It is like technological change," he said. "Jobs are lost, but jobs are creat ed." The total number of jobs will go up and the mix of jobs will change to accommodate the trad ing, Hanson said. Gillespie said he believes the trade agreement will allow Mexi co to capture better laborers and place them in jobs instead of watching them gravitate to the United States to find labor. Prior to the trade agreement the United States and Canada had a bilateral agreement. But now, with Mexico involved, there will be a tri-lateral agreement which will be an intermediate step to ward world-wide trade, Gillespie said. "Clearly it will mean a great opportunity for Texas," Gillespie said. "It is a win-win situation for Texas." Hanson said he assumes the trade agreement will definitely bring more businesses to Texas. "Texas will be a transshipment point," Hanson said. "That is go ing to be really good for Texas.' With increase trading activity through the trade agreement there will be more revenue and more jobs, Gillespie said. He said there will be a greater stabilization of the United States and Mexican economy, thus re ducing the elevated inflation rate and making Americans more in clined to invest their dollars in Mexico. Hanson thinks the whole trade agreement is being ignored by Arkansas governor and presiden tial candidate Bill Clinton. "Bill Clinton has been avoiding the issue," Hanson said. "I think that is a phony excuse." A summary of the agreement was sent out Aug. 20, but Clinton said he has not gone over it. "Clinton has no excuse for not knowing what is in that agree ment," Hanson said. "When he says he hasn't read it, he is being completely insincere."