thebattalion ● thursday,
october 8, 2009
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Texas A&M since 1893
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City red light cameras receive no public funds Julie Rambin The Battalion The red light camera political action committee Keep College Station Safe has received no contributions from individuals within College Station, according to recently released campaign finance reports. The PAC received $10,000 from American Traffic Solutions, the red light camera company. A special election to vote on red light cameras will take place on Nov. 3. Keep College Station Safe also received $6,500 of in-kind contributions from Questmark Information Services, a printing and mailing company in Houston which contracts with American Traffic Solutions. “ATS is our customer,” said Questmark President Beth Ludeke. “We print and mail statements, violation notices and things like that. I See Red light on page 5
Decoding Obama’s health care proposal
Hear from him Read how Matt balances school and his leadership duties. student leader | 9
Melissa Appel The Battalion With President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform bill in the midst of discussion on congressional debate floors and across dining room tables, Americans are talking about the issue to weigh the pros and cons. At the forefront of his plan is the issue of citizens currently without any health insurance coverage. Obama plans to encourage competitive and affordable prices for heath care by establishing the Exchange, a marketplace that consumers can use to compare insurance plans and prices. Until the implementation of this, the federal government will offer low-cost coverage for those with pre-existing conditions. To encourage citizens to get covered, tax credits will be offered both to individuals and families who purchase insurance and to small businesses that offer insurance options for employees. The bill will not disrupt the current insurance standing of those individuals covered by a private sector insurance plan. Instead of moving
Stephen Fogg — THE BATTALION
Senior radiological health engineering major Matthew Heintschel is the 2009-2010 Fish Camp head director.
Fish camp director teaches freshmen how to make the leap Jane Lee | The Battalion
Student leader profile series Every other week, The Battalion will be profiling a student leader to gain insight into their lives and what it takes to do their job. Submit a leader idea at battcopy@thebatt.com.
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enior radiological health engineering student Matthew Heintschel has been involved with Aggie traditions since he first stepped foot onto Texas A&M University. As the 2009-2010 head director for Fish Camp, he said the past four years have been an incredible journey with unpredictable outcomes. From La Grange, Texas, Heintschel said that he chose to come to A&M because of the “spirit, passion and potential that is put behind everything.” He said students have the opportunity to make the University their own and take it in the direction that they see fit.
See Heintschel on page 8
See Health care on page 5
A&M to receive sufficient H1N1 vaccines Though Texas did not initially receive as many H1N1 vaccines as was estimated, the Texas A&M University campus should not suffer a shortage, said Student Health Services, Director Martha Dannenbaum. “Over the course of the next several months, we will have an adequate amount of vaccine. It’s just that the initial amount that came to the states was less than expected,” Dannenbaum said. College students are included in the priority group, but the first people to receive the vaccine will be children 2-to 3-years-old. When more vaccines arrives, college students also will be eligible to be inoculated. A&M has already ordered an initial supply of vaccines from the Texas Department of State Health Services, Dannenbaum said. A&M will continue to order vaccines every week according to demand. “There will be ample supply of vaccine,” Dannenbaum said. “It’s just not all going to come initially.” Julie Rambin, staff writer
Faculty not required to accept flu excuse letters Madiha Rizvi The Battalion
Rachel Nhan — THE BATTALION
Sophomore sociology major Tiffany Stark receives her flu shot Wednesday in the Commons Lobby. Student Health Services gave free vaccinations to the first 5,200 students to show up at Wehner Building, Zachry Engineering Center and the Commons.
The influenza excuse available on flu.tamu.edu is not a University excused absence, said Dean of Undergraduate Programs and Associate Provost Martyn Gunn. “But we are highly recommending to the faculty members to accept them,” Gunn said. The influenza excuse is part of compliance of instructions from the Centers for Disease Control, CDC, if students are experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. “For example if there are compromised lungs or heart,” Gunn said, “take fluids, stay at home until the symptoms clear up.” Bednarz said the problem for faculty depends on student courseload. He said in some cases, “it is difficult for faculty to create equivalent tests, quizzes or labs for students.”
If professors are not accepting excuses, Gunn said, the first step is to talk to the faculty member and if that does not work, then there is the option to take action further to the department head. Student Health Services Director Martha Dannenbaum said attendance policies are set by the individual academic departments and faculty. “There are also variances within a department depending on the type and nature of the class,” Dannenbaum said. “So ultimately, the professor decides what constitutes an excused absence and what documentation
is required.” Student Health Services collaborated with academics to create the self-reported flu like illness form as an option for both students and professors to use during the flu season, but Dannenbaum said she had not been aware of any mandate for professors to use it. Faculty Senate Speaker Bob Bednarz said some reasons why faculty members are not accepting excuses might be because they “often feel overwhelmed with the number of absences and variety of excuses they encounter.”
Photo illustration by Jonny Green — THE BATTALION
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