1991-01-21; Central Michigan Life

              5    \   5    t?     f   -*    ■«
g
One of the year's best
'Awakenings' earns four stars
Page 9
Beam scare
Gymnast survives accident, CMU loses to MSU
Page 10
Central
Michigan
MONDAY
January 21, 1991
VOLUME 73/ NUMBER 48
© 1991 CM LIFE
MOUNT PLEASANT, MICHIGAN 48859
(517) 774-3493
:i$l^K-
&l 18 PAGES
Building purchase dispute leads PBS
to seek University help in paying bills
by YVONNE C. CLAES
UFE Staff Wnxer
Despite frequent fundraising efforts. CMU's
Public Broadcasting Station is suffering from
budget problems dating back to 1983.
University officials, including the president and
vice presidents, and Public Broadcasting representatives will meet within three weeks to discuss how
the department is repaying debt it incurred in 1983
after purchasing its current location on the
southeast corner of campus, said Russ Herron. vice
president for University Relations.
'"We will look at budget matters, the support
they get. those kinds of things." said Herron.
secretary to the Board of Trustees. "The deficit
problem won't go away — it*s a University-wide
issue."
Public Broadcasting purchased the empty structure, previously a bar. for $450,000 with total costs
exceeding $2 million. To fund the purchase, the
University took about $100,000 out of PBS' budget
and gave the department a loan for the balance,
said PBS Director Bill Grigaliunas.
The expense of paying off the building, coupled
with the 1983 University decision to end annual 4-
to 6-percent funding increases for salaries and
supplies, has led PBS to see red — with no black in
sight.
Convocation called
to discuss conflict
by ANTHONY BATKIE
LirE   Staff   Wr 7or
Members of the University community will meet
Tuesday to express their views on Operation
Desert Storm, while also learning more factual
information about the Persian Gulf crisis.
An
all-campus
convocation
is    scheduled
for    Tuesday
from 3:30
until 5:30
p.m. The
event, which
was called by
President
Edward B.
Jakubauskas
and Provost
Robert
Franke. will
allow participants to debate the Persian Gulf war.
The convocation was organized after the Jan. 15
deadline for Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait passed,
said Ron Johnstone. Dean of the College of Arts
and Sciences.
"It would be a good idea for students to get
together to share insights on the current crisis."
Jakubauskas said.
Though the convocation is not an effort to stop
protests, he said people can share ideas easier in a
learning environment than at a demonstration.
See CONVOCATION Page 2
Finance experts:
bull market won't
bear lengthy war
by CRYSTAL HARMON
UFE Staff VVr :er
While the initial economic reaction to Operation
Desert Storm has been favorable, local financial
experts say a lengthy war in the Persian Gulf
would devastate the
economy.
Thursday
— the day
after U.S.
airstrikes on
Baghdad, the
Iraqi    capital
— brought
the stock market's second highest, one-day
increase ever recorded, as well the biggest one-day
drop in oil prices, said Harry- Guenther, principal
investor for Centennial Financial Services Inc., 123
See ECONOMY Page 1 5
p
1    -V'1 l|,l'JrMtttil
■ Wal-Mart rally draws 150.
■ Red Cross sends  blood to
Gulf-
See stories, page 3.
All other campus departments receive the
annual financial boost. Grigaliunas said.
"It was a double whammy," he noted. "We didn't
know they would keep our budget flatlined."
In the same year. PBS experienced its first
deficit with figures climbing ever since. Grigaliunas said. The department pays the University
$145,000 each year to pay off PBS' debt.
"The University feels that other programs can't
raise their own money, but PBS can." he said of the
original decision to have PBS pay for its building.
While fundraising totals have increased 253
percent over the past 10 years, expenses have risen
120 percent. Grigaliunas said.
To increase fundraising efforts. PBS instituted a
900-number that people can call to make contributions. The call is charged to individuals' phone
bills.
"I asked Jerry Tubbs 'former vice president of
Business and Finance > when he would give us a
break on the building problem." Grigaliunas said.
"He responded that "if you guys don't pay. we have
to cut programs." We in effect pay for other
programs on campus."
Grigaliunas. who referred to the money PBS yet
owes CMU as a "stupid building payment." said he
hopes the L'niversity will drop the payment "ami
give us the percentage increase everyone else Liets
\S
— at  least   to get  us out of t he hole."
Despite    rumors   that    the   University   may   cut
PBS. President Edward B. -Jakubauskas said such
See PBS Pace
University sets
punishments in
Western cases
by CRYSTAL HARMON
L'FF  Staff Writer
The University finished doling out punishments
last week to students arrested during "Western
Weekend."
Although 20 students were arrested on charges
ranging from arson to allowing a loud party, only
four students were suspended for incidents that
occurred during a riot Oct. 13 after the CMU/WMU
football game.
The final case was decided Tuesday by a
University hearing body through the Office of
Student Life.
Ten of the cases were dismissed by the Isabella
County District Court and dropped by the University, said Glenn Starner, director of the Office of
Student Life. Nine cases heard by University
officials lead to disciplinary action.
Four students were suspended from the University for periods ranging fron one semester to one
calendar year. They were found guilty of throwing
bottles or cans, according to a list prepared by
Starner that appeared in a memo to James Hill,
vice president for Student Affairs.
See WESTERN Page 2
'No flag burners here
we support the troops'
Greeks fly colors
in support of war
LIFE Photo Jim Fassinger
Showing their support for troops in the Persian Gulf, Mike Odiorne, Livonia senior (foreground left)
and Matt Fekete, Pleasant Ridge sophomore (right) give a thumbs-up to the sign outside their house
at 1019 Franklin street, while roommates (left to right) Jerry Lesko, Allen Park junior, Mike Gasser,
Royal Oak senior and Jeff Loutzenhiser, Linden senior, back them up.
by NANCY SALLA
UFF S7:;,;f vVr.ter
With Rush time approaching, it is the time of
year when Greeks traditionally fly their colors in
front of their houses.
But instead of banners promoting their own
groups, some Greeks are displaying their support
for current military actions in the Persian Gulf.
"We support Desert Storm," read a sheet
hanging on the porch of 1019 S. Franklin, and the
message stands alone, said Matt Fekete, one of
five Tau Kappa Epsilon residents at the house.
"No flag burners here — We support the
troops," is the message of the house's third and
latest sheet raised Sunday, said Fekete, Pleasant
Ridge sophomore.
"Down with Saddam, let Iraq burn," was the
statement on the first sign in front of the house
before the allied forces took an aggressive move
against Iraq. Fekete said.
"We had several people drive by when the first
sign was up and honk their horn in support," he
said.
"But when the actual fighting began, I thought
the sign's message was too derogatory, so we took
it down and put the new one up." Fekete said.
All nine of the house's residents — many of
whom have friends fighting in Desert Storm —
supDorted the message of the first sign, Fekete
said.
'Down our street we have houses with peace
symbols hanging in the windows, but we received
a larger show of support for the "... let Iraq burn'
sign than for the current sign," he said.
'"Apparently more people support the war than
what was originally thought," he added.
Fekete said he thinks the troops will have to
forgo attempts to keep Iraqi civilian deaths to a
minimum if the military action is to succeed.
"My opinion is if we want to win the war. we
have to bomb Baghdad and level it," he said.
"I know our government is trying to avoid that
because Baghdad is so heavily populated, but
that is where Hussein has put so much of his
anti-aircraft weapons," Fekete added. "Iraq is not
playing a fair war."
The initial bombing of Baghdad brought a show
of military support from Beta Theta Pi members,
said Doug Ackerman, fraternity president.
"We nailed a U.S. flag to the front of our house
right after everything over there started tin
Desert Storm), said Ackerman, Howell junior.
Fraternity members took up a collection to buy
a flag pole, but now have to figure out if they can
dig a hole for the pole in the frozen ground, he
said.
The television at the Beta Theta Pi house is
constantly tuned in to news reports from the Gulf
Wrar. he added.
See COLORS Page 1 5
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