A-TYPE STARS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE SITES OF VIGOROUS STELLAR MAGNETIC ACTIVITY PHENOMENA LIKE CHROMOSPHERIC OR CORONAL EMISSIONS AND HENCE SHOULD BE X-RAY DARK. WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS THIS EXPECTATION IS BORNE OUT IN OBSERVATIONS. HOWEVER IN INVESTIGATING THOSE ATYPE STARS WITH X-RAY EMISSION WHERE A LOWER-MASS COMPANION IS NOT TO BLAME WE HAVE DISCOVERED A TENTATIVE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PRESENCE OF NEAR-INFRARED EXCESS EMISSION (INDICATING VERY CLOSE-IN ORBITING DUST) AND DETECTED X-RAY EMISSION. IN THIS PROPOSAL WE SEEK TO FURTHER VET THIS WITH XMM-NEWTON OBSERVATIONS THAT WILL YIELD A STATISTICAL SAMPLE OF X-RAY CHARACTERIZED A-TYPE STARS WITH AND WITHOUT NEAR-INFRARED EXCESS EMISSION.