1990-11-30; Central Michigan Life

              WEATHER
SPORTS
NOT ENOUGH
CMU rally falls short, 72-63
See Page 10
^
NEWS
TALKING IT OUT
Open forum fosters dialogue on racism
See Page 7
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Central
Michigan
FRIDAY
November 30, 1990
CMU may up tuition or lay off faculty
by JENNIFER CHRISMAN
LIFE Assistant News Editor
CMU's president says the University may have to cut 38 faculty-
positions next year — or raise tuition as much as 20 percent.
Reactions range from disgruntlement with President Edward B.
Jakubauskas's proposals to outrage at the seeming unwillingness of
the University community to pull together and make the best of a bad
situation.
A predicted drop in enrollment added to state budget problems
makes the reduction in fte, or full time equivalents, necessary to
prevent a 15 to 20 percent tuition increase, Jakubauskas said.
One full-time equivalent represents one full-time faculty position,
two part-time spots or three graduate assistantships. The University
uses the fte unit to allocate funds to academic departments.
Jakubauskas said a final decision will be made next week. Cuts in
fte allocations would reduce the availability of classes and may lead to
dismissal of some faculty members.
Jakubauskas added he does not know where else the University
could cut.
WHAT ARE YOU going to cut? Financial aid? Public Safety? It's
not that easy to do," he said. "I'd like to cut the teaching area last, but
it really is not possible."
Provost Robert Franke said he does not want to raise tuition, but
added the president says it would be necessary if the University
doesn't cut ftes.
A 15 percent increase added to the current $63.50 will raise tuition
to about $73 per credit hour for undergraduate Michigan residents. A
20 percent increase would make it to about $76 per credit hour.
With such a raise, an in-state undergraduate with a 15-credit load
would pay an extra $142 to $187 a semester.
"That is certainly a way we might have to go, but regular students
and families can't afford that. We'll price ourselves out ofthe market,"
Franke said.
Religion chair Roger Hatch suggested the president get advice and
recommendations from more people before making the decisions.
"This is an administraton that has priorities, but not academic-
priorities," Hatch said "I have no belief that this administration is
listening.
"This is a president who does not seek the advice of very many
people. It hurts the faculty and students," he said. "The provost
doesn't want this to occur and this is a.clear sign that the president
does not want him to have power in any important way."
See CUTS Page 2
Engler not opposed to tuition hifte
as CMU faces possible 20% raise
by JENNIFER CHRISMAN
LIFE Assistant News.Editor
With possible severe budget
constraints, CMU's president
says the University may have
to cut faculty or raise tuition up
to 20 percent — and Michigan's
new governor has no plans to
place a capon tuition increases.
A press aide indicated
Governor-elect John Engler
will not limit tuition increases
as Gov. James J. Blanchard
did. Blanchard threatened to
withhold university allocations
if   the    schools    exceeded    6.5
percent    in    annual    tuition
increases.
"The universities are autonomous by law," said John
Truscott, Engler's press
secretary. "Gov. Blanchard
used undue pressure on the
universities with the tuition
cap. He used more influence
than is allowed by law."
President Edward B.
Jakubauskas said it may be
necessary to cut 38 full-time
faculty    positions    or    raise
See ENGLER Page 2
Teach-in
aimed at
Middle East
awareness
by STEVEN PONIATOWSKI
LIFE Stdff Writer
About 20 people listened
Thursday as local activists
explained why they believe
Americans should protest
military action in the Persian
Gulf.
"This military faux pas in the
Middle East will go down in
history as a desperate attempt
by a falling industrial regime to
maintain a style of life which is
globally unsupportable," said
Lee Naomi, professor of
geography-
Members of the Creative
Peace Movement held a
"teach-in" Thursday to help
educate people on the Middle
East situation at the Wesley-
Foundation, 1400 S.
Washington.
The five speakers talked
about the different ways people
could help stop the action in the
Persian Gulf from becoming a
war — learning about the
region and the culture, ending
dependence on oil and, most of
all. to start caring.
"There seems to be a lot of
apathy on campus. No one
wants to talk about it, it
seems," said Mary Irvine, CMU
alumna and the event's
organizer.
The presentation was set up
as an open forum with the 20
spectators    able    to    interrupt
Mohammad Kamiar, professor
Washington.
speeches with remarks and
questions.
Mount Pleasant senior Marri
Mattison talked about the
feelings of U.S. military
personnel. Mattison was an
Army sergeant stationed in
Germany.
"The idea that I wanted to
get across is that they are
normal people . . . students
trying to fund their way
through college." she said.
LIFE Photo Jeffrey Sauger
of geography, speaks to participants   at   the   first   teach-in   at   the   Wesley   Foundation,   1400   S.
She also said military men
and women are not militant
and aggressive, adding they
should be viewed as people
caught up in something they
didn't expect.
Naomi said dependence on oil
has made the United States a
"slave" to "an energy-intense
and wasteful technology.
"We are the world's largest
energy waster and user ... at
least 41  percent of the energy-
used in the United States is
unnecessarily wasted." Naomi
said-
Naomi suggested Americans
adopt a less-consumptive lifestyle and not defend
oil-producing countries.
Mohammad Kamair,
professor of geography,
questioned the terms used to
identify the Persian Gulf
region.
"What   is   the   Middle   East?
Middle of what? East of
where?" he asked.
He also said many students
are ignorant of Middle East
geography, adding 50 percent
of his students cannot find Iraq
on a map. He wants to get
people interested in the subject
to educate them.
"The Middle East is one of
the most important areas ofthe
See TEACH-IN Page 2
Provost wants more info during faculty hiring
by KAREN EMERSON
LIFE Special Projects Editor
Faculty hiring practices may change in the future as
the University makes adjustments to deal with
continued funding shortfalls.
Provost Robert Franke said he spoke with several
CMU officials, including the academic deans, about a
proposal to inform him when faculty positions open and
searches are started to fill those spots.
"It's something that came out of this office," Franke
said. "It's not very traditional (at CMU)."
For several years, individual colleges and departments have taken care of their own faculty hiring
procedures, he said, adding that will change slightly.
The change would provide the provost with information about faculty openings and searches, said Ron
Johnstone, dean ofthe College of Arts and Sciences.
"This is not the way we're used to things around here,"
he said. "But . , . it just sounds like the provost wants us
to keep him updated."
Johnstone said "nobody has a quarrel" with notifying
Franke of faculty openings.
"With about 800 faculty members and 37 departments
it's hard to know a lot," Johnstone said. "But you have to
start somewhere. And the University is facing economizing everywhere, so this is just one step."
Because the idea is still in its discussion stage, details
about how to get the information to the provost and how
often have not been ironed out, Franke said.
Faculty Association President Guy Meiss said nearly
40 faculty members were hired last year, adding he does
not see it as an impossible task to inform the provost.
Meiss, associate professor of journalism, said he had
not yet been told about the discussions to inform the
provost of faculty openings.
If the idea was implemented and resulted in the
provost finding out about openings and discontinuing
searches to save money, it could "undermine the faculty
■ morale." Meiss said. "And that would concern me."
John Yantis, dean of the College of Extended
Learning, said the issue has two sides.
It is important that hiring decisions happen at the
level closest to the vacancy — the department or college
level, Yantis said.
But the provost is ultimately responsible for CMU's
academic affairs and should know about faculty
openings, he said. And John Haeger, dean ofthe School
of Graduate Studies, agreed.
"I think the general recognition is that the provost —
who's in charge ofthe academic institution — should be
made aware," Haeger said. "Certainly that seems fair
enough."
Franke said automatically filling all open positions is
probably not the best way to do things as CMU officials
try to tighten the budget.
Just because the University needs to watch its money
does not mean Franke will interject and halt any faculty
searches, he said, adding the current system is not very
effective because he often does not know about
important departmental changes.
"It's important for me to know about them," he said.
Franke met with the the Dean's Advisory Council Nov.
21 to discuss the idea and he emphasized that the idea is
not a new requirement, but only a proposal.
VP hopeful
says finding
CMU's needs
is overall
goal of job
by KAREN EMERSON
LIFE Special Projects Editor
In high school, Roy Merolli
was known as "The Great
Condenser" because he often
summarized test material on
index cards to help himself and
classmates prepare for exams.
Thursday, Merolli was called
on to expand on his achievements and issue positions as the
first of five candidates to fill the
vice president for Business and
Finance post when Jerry Tubbs
leaves Dec. 31.
"The vice president's role is to
look out there and identify the
needs of the University, and
doing that in concert with the
established plans of the University," Merolli told members of
the campus community during
an open forum in the Bovee
University Center Lake
Michigan Room.
He has served as vice president for Finance and
Administration     at     Eastern
See SEARCH Page 2
UN group passes
resolution to use
force against Iraq
by ROBiN COOK
LIFE Staff Writer
Twelve of 15 members of the
U.N. Security Council voted
Thursday to pass Resolution 678
to allow use of military force if
Iraq does not withdraw from
Kuwait before Jan. 15.
Students in Central's Model
United Nations say it's hard to
tell what will happen, but they
forsee more serious implications
than many expect.
"I can see this situation
escalated far beyond what we're
anticipating right now," said
Tom Corey, Birmingham sophomore. "If Israel gets involved we
could see possible actions toward
nuclear catastrophe."
The resolution, which Cuba
and Yemen voted against and
China abstained on, is the 12th
resolution to come before the
U.N. since Saddam Hussein
seized control of Kuwait Aug. 2.
Mount Pleasant senior Cindy
Clauser, head delegate of Model
U.N.,   said   Cuba   and  Yemen's
See UN Page 2
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