1994-12-07; Central Michigan Life

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Shumate defends record in forum
SGA president says task force
handled problems wrong way
By ANNA LAMP!
LIFE Staff Wnter
LIFE Photo Jennah Sprtzley
At an open forum Monday, Eric Shumate addresses accusations
brought against him during his term as SGA president.
The Student Government
Association was in a state of
disarray this week with President Eric Shumate defending
his record as accusations that
he has not been following constitutional procedures ran rampant.
Shumate, Detroit sophomore,
had an open forum Monday to
address issues brought up last
week by the Leadership Accountability Task Force.
He said the issues were not
discussed with him before the
task force started taking action
against him. "There is a right
way to communicate with people. There is a right way to
handle problems," he said.
Fliers which questioned Shu
mate's leadership were posted
up around campus last week,
and a proposal to take a vote of
no confidence in Shumate was
created, but although it was discussed and passed around at
Monday's SGA meeting, it was
not brought up for a vote.
Rebecca Bollenberg, SGA
senate leader and Mount Pleasant senior, said at the SGA
meeting that she; Jeanie Kittel,
SGA vice president and Muskegon junior; Chris Weed, SGA
treasurer and Port Huron
senior; Ami Brown, SGA senator and Rochester senior; Justin
Bovee, SGA representative and
Oxford junior; Charles Wester-
field, SGA representative and
Traverse City junior; and
Randy Peterson, former
See SGA Page 15	
SGA won't join Michigan Collegiate Coalition
Student Government Association members decided against
rejoining the Michigan Collegiate Coalition after attending a-meeting at the University of Michigan, Flint, Saturday.
SGA members voted to indefinitely table a decision on rejoining
MCC at its meeting Monday.
In a press release, SGA representative Justin Bovee, Oxford
junior, said MCC is in debt and cannot afford to employ a lobbyist, a
major benefit SGA wanted from the organization.
SGA Vice President Jeanie Kittel, Muskegon junior, said MCC
was $19,000 in debt last month and $9,000 in debt now. She also said
"MCC is-SUlng Michigan Stat^tnrtv^r^tty-tbr^f^OOO^ it believesrthe
university owes after dropping out of the group.
Kittel said only five of the 15 public universities in Michigan
belong to MCC and three of the five are checking into other options.
The organization lobbies for students on a state level. SGA
dropped out of the organization last spring when concerns about its
financial status and constitutional procedures were raised.
Custodial services
hearing against
CMU thrown out
By TAMARA SNYDER
LIFE Staff Wnter	
A judge has dismissed an
unfair labor practice hearing
regarding subcontracted custodial services in Dow Science Complex.
A decision and recommended
order dated Nov. 29 stated CMITs
administration has fulfilled its
obligation to bargain with the
union. The ruling was made by
administrative law judge Nora
Lynch, who was appointed by the
Labor Relations Division of the
Michigan Employment Relations
Commission.
Lynch also stated an arbitrator
who heard the complaint on
March 25, 1993, decided that no
unfair labor practice occurred
because under the American Federation of State, County and
Municipal Employees Local
1568's former contract, privatizing the custodial services was not
a contract - violation. CMU had
asked Lynch on Oct. 13 to dismiss
the suit based on the arbitrator's
ruling.
"The judge has dismissed the
complaint in favor of the university's position that an arbitrator
had already ruled there were no
contract   violations,"   said   Rae
Goldsmith, director of CMU
Public Relations.
Roger Smith, AFSCME council
representative, said he was told
by the union's lawyer that the
hearing was postponed without
another date last Thursday.
But, Smith said after hearing
the judge's decision that the
union "kind of felt that was going
to happen.**
"We requested (the judge
make) a quick decision so we
could move on to the next level,"
Smith said.
Smith said the group now can
appeal the decision and ask for it
to be reviewed by the full Michigan Employment Relations Commission, a move that must be
made by Dec. 22. A second option
is to refile the unfair labor practice suit.
"We still claim that the
employer has an obligation to
bargain upon demand of the
union in the event that subcontracting is contemplated by an
employer," Smith said.
"To date CMU has given us no
valid reason for subcontracting
out, and we have concerns that
there could be a major negative
impact to the community and to
the securities of the employees as
See DOW Page 18	
CMU suing Tumbl-Track
maker to share damages
in paralysis injury lawsuit
By CINDY TROMBLEY
LIFE Staff Writer	
CMU is suing a gymnastics
equipment manufacturer to help
share damage costs if money is
awarded in an injury lawsuit
against the university.
Vertical Take-Off and Landing, Inc., 1334 Center Drive, manufactures the Tumbl-Track, a
piece of equipment which
allegedly caused the paralysis of
a student, Brian Sheridan, last
fall.
A summons CMU filed Nov. 23
in Isabella County Circuit Court
stated that if Caryln Sheridan
receives judgment against CMU
for damages related to Brian
Sheridan's injury, VTL, Inc., will
be sued "for contribution to the
amount   of damages   and   costs
awarded."
Michael Hackett, a partner for
Lynch, Gallagher, Lynch and
Martineau Attorneys at Law, 555
N. Main St., said the lawsuit filed
by the Caryln Sheridan, on behalf
of Brian Sheridan, is in the Court
of Claims in Lansing and scheduled for mediation in October
1995 and asks for a judgment in
excess of $10,000.
According to the circuit court
documents, on Nov. 7, 1993,
Brian Sheridan slipped on the
Tumbl-Trak after doing a summersault or flip which resulted in
"an uncontrollable landing on his
shoulders, whereafter his body
was forced backward over his
head and he came to a final resting position on his stomach."
See SUIT Page 7	
Portion of prof's contract
led to bankrupt firm's
$40,000 debt to Central
By CHRIS C. DAVIS
LIFE Staff Writer	
Task Management Inc.'s approximate $40,000 debt to CMU stems
from a 50-percent wage and benefit reimbursement for the biology
professor who serves as president and sole shareholder of TMI.
The environmental research and testing firm, located at 2600 Three
Leaves Drive, filed for Chapter 11 reorganizational bankruptcy Nov. 28.
Court records listed CMU as the second-largest unsecured claim holder
for $39,749.
Bob De Bruin, assistant vice president for Academic Affairs, said
CMU signed a two-year agreement with Robert Bailey, professor of
biology as well as president and 100 percent shareholder of TMI, in
August of 1992. The contract bound TMI to cover 50 percent of Bailey's
salary and benefits, in exchange for allowing Bailey to work half-time at
TMI.
In September of this year, when an agreement renewal was
requested, and later entered into, university officials responsible for
organizing the contract were not aware of TMI's growing financial
See TMI Page 2	
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