1991-02-22; Central Michigan Life

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Awards show includes some surprises
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Trio boycotts unsanctioned MAC meet
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Central
Michigan
FRIDAY
February 22, 1991
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Fee plan could benefit students, CMU
by KAREN EMERSON
L !. F- News Fd.Tor
Students who complain about
paying- too much for tuition — or
take fewer hours each semester
because of the cost — may have
an incentive to stop complaining.
The way the University
charges students for credit hours
could change if CMU implements one of the recommendations outlined in the Budget and
Planning Council Subcommittee
Report to the President.
The report recommends a
flat-rate tuition model that could
do two things — encourage
students to take more credit
hours for the same amount of
money and provide CMU with
more money, said subcommittee
chair Leonard Plachta.
A flat-rate tuition model would
charge students a set amount of
money for a specified number of
credits, said Plachta. dean of the
College of Business Administration.
Officials
anxious
about cuts
in budget
by JOHN DOBBERSTEIN
L!CE St--.!' Wr tea
The Isabella County Commission unanimously passed a resolution opposing 9.2 percent
across-the-board cuts advocated
by the Michigan legislature to
relieve the state's mounting
deficit.
Commissioners said the cuts
could "significantly impact" the
areas main medical facility.
Central Michigan Community
Hospital. 1221  South Drive.
"The county puts many
resources into that facility."
County Chair Tom Gross said. "I
would prefer that the state
re-establish its priorities and get
rid of some of its frivolous
programs."
County Administrator Randy
Terronez said the county puts
roughly $150,000 into the
hospital each year, while the
state of Michigan and federal
government fund the rest of the
hospitals S3 million budget.
Commissioner Glen Blystone
said the facility could lose as
much as $700,000 each year in
funding.
Gross said Gov. John Engler
has opposed the cuts proposed by
the legislature because he is
aware of losses that could occur.
In other business Thursday
night:
■ The Commission passed a
budget adjustment of $8,187
earmarked to bring in two
additional circuit judges for two
weeks in March and April to
relieve a worsening backlog of
circuit court cases.
Although the current backlog
of cases only permits the
Commission to bring in "one and
one-half judges." the Commission said the number of cases
will increase.
Terronez said 65 of the 100
residents currently in the
Isabella County Jail are the
responsibility of circuit court.
Mark Duthie, county prosecutor, said it would be more
expensive to hire a probate or
district court judge because they
make more money than circuit
judges and can demand the
difference in pay for their
services.
This system works for other
state schools, he said.
For example, students at
Michigan Technological University paid $762 for 12 to 20 credits
during the 1989 - "90 academic
year.
Students may take any
number of credits within the
range for the flat-rate price.
Plachta said.
"Our committee, and I personally, believe this is ii very
feasible and practical idea for
Central." he said. "It works at
other schools, and we'll never
know < if" it can work i here before
we try it."
The report suggested fiat
tuition rates for a range of credit
hours, including: $190 for one to
three hours: $380 for four to six
hours; $630 for seven to 1 1 hours;
$1,020 for 12 to 17 hours, and
$1,270 for 18 or more hours.
The recommended flat rates
are not what CMU definitely has
to    approve.    Plachta   said.    The
report outlined the plan to give
the University community a
point of reference, he said,
adding the numbers are in no
way set in stone.
"We felt convinced that we
ought to recommend the idea."
lie said. "We just didn't have
time and the technical expertise
to come up with the specific
amounts."
Administrators are discussing
the idea, said Michael Owens.
executive assistant to the president for Enrollment Management.
"But there is no strong,
compelling momentum to make
the change immediate!v." Owens
said.
Some CMU administrators
discussed fiat-fee tuition at the
Budget and Planning Council
meeting Wednesday, said Jerry
Scoby. executive assistant to the
president for Budget and
Planning.
"We're looking at it as a viable
alternative."' Scoby said. "We are
seriously looking at it."
He said administrators are
examining the possible effects of
flat-fee tuition on students and
the University.
Several things must be taken
into consideration before implementing a flat-rate scale. Owens
said.
Before they changed the
tuition model, they would need
to show it could save students
time and money and could gain
money for CMU. Owens said.
"If you're going to go through
the shock wave or trauma of
change, you want to make sure
the outcome you see is the
outcome you get," he said.
Many students do not
complete undergraduate work in
eight semesters, or four years.
Plachta said.
He said University research
indicates    more     students    are
See INCENTIVE Page 18
Flat-fee model used
at several colleges
by KAREN EMERSON
LIFE News Editor
While CMU mulls over the positive and negative aspects of
flat-fee tuition models, at least five other state universities already
charge flat fees. ,.
A flat-fee tuition model charges students a specific amount of
money for a range of credit hours, said Leonard Plachta, dean of
CMU's College of Business Administration.
"It does work at other schools," he said. "They have found it to
their benefit."
Information from the Budget and Planning Council Subcommittee Report to the President briefly details 1989 - '90 tuition rates
at several state schools, including highlights of flat-fee rates.
Flat-rate tuition is used mostly for full-time students, said Roger
Murphy, director of Budgets, Planning and Personnel at Lake
Superior State University.
He referred to this as a "plateau system."
For example, students who enroll for one to 11 credits, or more
than 19, pay $52 for each credit hour, the report stated.
Those students who took between 12 and 19 credits paid the flat
rate of $640.
Most of LSSU's 3,400 students are enrolled in the plateau range,
he said.  The university uses an academic calendar made up of
See TUITION Page 16
LIFE Photo John Starks
AI  Somerville, recreation  and  parks administration instructor,  tries to launch  a  hook shot over the defense of Wayne
Schwartz, Sturgis junior.    The two were part of a wheelchair basketball  tournament Thursday evening  in  Finch  Fieldhouse.
Wheelchair ballplayers roll to the goal
by JOHN MULVANEY
L lr E- Staff Vvnter
Basketball. A game of three-
point shots, elbow jabs and
crashing tires.
At least that's basketball for
the Hardrollers. a professional
wheelchair basketball team
from Grand Rapids.
Four teams from the University community showed up at
Finch Fieldhouse to try their
hand at wheelchair basketball
against each other and the
Hardrollers. More than 100
people attended.
The Thursday night event
was sponsored by the Student
Recreation Association. It was
designed to increase awareness
about what people in wheelchairs can do, said Annette
Wight, Bellevue senior and
event coordinator.
The Hardrollers, which won
all its games, were formed
about two years ago by people
recovering from debilitating
injuries, said Mark Her/.og.
Hardroller player.
"We kind of got together by
accident," he said.
Herzog said the main thing
to learn about wheelchair
basketball is how to push the
chair around with maneuverability and speed.
The rules of the game are the
same as conventional basketball games — with a few
exceptions, said Joe Lisowski,
Hardroller eager.
"You get five seconds in the
key and two pushes to the
dribble." Lisowski said. "And
there's definitely no dunking
allowed."
The game is very physical,
with players falling out of their
chairs at least once a game and
at   least   one   wheelchair   being
broken. Lisowski added.
The first match-up pitted a
student team against a faculty
team from Recreation and Park
Administration. The "Faculty
Follies"" won 4-0.
"Its fun. but hard. It shows
what skill (the Hardrollers"
have." said Aggie Rainwater,
professor of recreation and
park administration.
"It's great. You're so low you
have to get a lot more on the
ball," said AI Somerville, assistant professor of recreation and
park administration.
Somerville said he had a sure
strategy at defeating the
Hardrollers.
T think we'll let the air out of
the ball," he said.
Wayne Schwartz. Sturgis
senior, said his team didn't
have   much   luck   against   the
quickness of the Hardrollers.
"ft was fun competition. It
was cool the way they set up
picks with their chairs, being
physical." Schwartz said. "It
shows they are just as good as
any other athlete, they're just
in a chair."
Kristine Winarski, St. Clair
Shores junior, said the game
was fun because it was light-
hearted and it didn't matter if
the players made mistakes.
"The Hardrollers are really
good. I think they were taking
mercy on us," she said.
W'ight said she got the idea of
having a wheelchair tournament at CMU from playing in
one at Grand Valley State
University.
Although only four of the five
teams   that   signed   up  partici-
See WHEELS Page 16
Court ruling
revokes ban
on abortion
by COLLEEN NEWVINE
LIFE Assistant News Editor
A Michigan Court of Appeals
decision Wednesday allowing
Medicaid-funded abortions has
drawn local cheers and jeers.
The 2-1 ruling overturned a
November 1988 referendum vote
that prevented government-
subsidized abortions.
"Tm glad to see it's been
overturned," said Linda Mason,
spokesperson for the local
chapter of the National Organization of Women.
Although pleased with the
decision, Mason said she is
guarded in her enthusiasm
because the decision probably
will be challenged.
"It's only a matter of time
before another abortion case
goes to the Supreme Court,"
Mason said, adding another case
may get to Washington, D.C.
before this one.
Pro-life activist Jim Conway
also expects the case to go before
the Supreme Court and he hopes
for a reversal.
"I think that was terrible,"
said Conway, a Mount Pleasant
resident.
He said he believes the court
went contrary to the beliefs of
the majority of state citizens and
says it is not just for the court to
reject something voted in by the
people.
"That was the people of
Michigan speaking," he said.
"I'm rather appalled that two
men can sit and make a decision
like that."
"I believe Right to Life will
appeal," Conway said.
"Court precedents have shown
that the states do not have to
fund tax abortions," said Ed
Rivet, a lobbyist for the group.
"This is totally inconsistent with
other precedents, and we'd be
interested in appealing that with
the state."
The decision involved a case on
behalf of a girl, 15, who was gang
raped in January 1989.
American Civil Liberties Union
filed suit for the girl known as
"Jane Doe."
She asked the Michigan
Department of Social Services to
pay for an abortion, because she
and her family could not afford
See ABORTION Page 16