1989-10-06; Central Michigan Life

              ADJUSTMENTS
Foolery frequenters upset at the possible
alternative atmosphere changes, 11
BREAKING KENT'S 'BONE
CMU must adapt defense to stopping Kent State's wishbone
offense to get back into the conference title race, 8
60/42
Mostly cloudy today.
Partly cloudy and
breezy Saturday.
Details. ?.
Central
Michigan
CREATIVE JUICES
Kindergarten praise inspired retired CMU
professor to enter the world of art. 7
FRIDAY
October 6, 1989
Serving The University Community For 70 Years
Funds from refinancing
completely allocated;
$44 million paying for
buildings, computers
BIG BUCKS BONANZA
by BRYAN G. LAV10LETTE
('Ml' i- Undine; out ju.-t liuw much $27.5 million can buy.
The University i-i nearly done spending money from a $44 million
debt-restructuring plan which will'have yielded two new buildings,
i (.'novation* to three buildings and part of a fourth as well as a portion
ofthe Umver*it\'» new IHM mainframe computer *\ stem.
To raise the money, the University refinanced its debt and in the
process gained $27.5 million for new projects.
And although all the University ha* not spent the entire sum. Tom
Flier claims Central
'rips off art students'
with hall renovation
Wiqh+man
follies
CMU
"RIPS
OFF
ART
STUDENIS
by JENNIFER CHRISMAN
Although at least one Univer-
-ity ollicial is content with the
current status of renovations in
Wightman Hall, some students
and faculty using the building
are nut.
Flier- posted on doors,
window* and sidewalk*
throiiuhotit campus demonstrate
ili**al i*f.u. Hon with conditions in
Wight man
The ther*. created by unidentified pel sine * '. feature a headline
leading "Wightman Follies" and
luithcr -late '('Ml' rip* oil art
-tinl. ait* ."
• lame* Tr\on. project manager
lot Wightman renovations, said
he ha* "receiveil no forma!
complaint* from student*.-
St iiiKait * and faculty u*ing the
building, however, are up.*et
.dxiut the condition of i la**n>om*
and lalxratorie*.
S>.  WIGHTMAN Pat;e 10A
DPS says student's sexual
assault report is unfounded
A female ("Ml" student rciiorted .in incident of criminal sexual
cunt ait. !>nt the Depaitinenl of Public Safety says the complaint i*
unfounded
.Voiding to a DI'S pic** ielea*o. the woman, who's age and
hiiinetow n were not relea*ed. reported an a**ault on the fourth floor of
Park l.ibrar.v m a *upply room. Tuesday at 4:24 p.m. The complaint
u.i* of *rcoiid debtee criminal sexual contact.
Follow inn an investigation by an officer, a deti-ctive and an evidence
technician. DI'S determined the complaint to be unfounded, the press
ti'lea*e stated.
No e\ silence of an as*.Hilt wa.* found at the scene, the press release
*tated AI.*o the complainant has had a history of making fal*e reports
of tin* t> pe to several area law enforcement agencies.
DPS Director .John McAulilfe said five or six University officials
contributed to the pre** I elea*e l>ccause of the sensitive nature of the
incident.
Prcjaoad coaa aid bond knda lor rafinandng CULT* niant buMng aipandh***.
Prolact Total   coat Bond hinda
IBM Computer System
$4.5 mlfion
$4.5  million
Ptiyaicat Ed. and Rao. Phaaa U $16  mIMon
$16 million
Wightman Renovatton Projact $3.15 matton        $3.1 S  mill too
Warrtnar and Prawn A/C Profacta   $1.57 mttBon        $1.22  mJMon
Apptlad Buainaaa Studiaa Complax   $2.1   minion
$400,000
Combined Sarvtcaa Buitdng
$3.1   mlfltoo
$2.38  million
Alumni House
$500,000
$150,000
Financing plan may
make $12 million
available for CMU
Source: Oiwlnon at Bu»ln«»» end t Inane*
HFC Craphlc/ttru* Edurardi     lirt
by BRYAN G. LAVIOLETTE
'.(ly fit tor
Kepp, assistant vice president for Financial Affairs, said the
iem.lining funds are committed.
Jerry Tubbs. vice president for Ftusiness and Finance, announced
the restructuring plan in January 1HS7. Kepp said the University was
coii*ider ing ways to fund an addition to Rose Center when it devised
llii' debt plan
He added the University decided to seek more than the $1(> million
u-quired to build Physical Fducation and Recreation Phase II because
there were several other projects the University wanted to complete.
I'he plan wa* to refinance the University's debt by pushing the time
See FINANCE Page 10A
On the heels of CMU's 19S8
debt refinancing, the administration is toying with the idea of
initiating another financing plan
Tom Repp, assistant vice president for Financial Affairs, said the
University may make'available up
to $12 million through financing.
Repp said the money's use could
hinge on the state's decision on
the proposed Central Knergy
Facility expansion project. He said
'RAIL' WINDY
Tak        *~      .        _^_____ ♦ S^  i1    ** . ^^^B a«i|^ff»_ 	
llfE Photo John St*rki
Highland freshman Nancy Billings uses her homework as an umbrella Thursday afternoon when
she was caught in a cold downpour on the railroad tracks by the Towers.
Commission unanimously votes down Nick's move
by KAREN EMERSON
:   • r   Sr.af v.- •■■■
Refore Thursday's Mount Pleasant Planning Commission meeting, several city residents were willing to go to
any extreme to prevent Nick's Saloon from relocating
near their homes.
Owner Nick Ventimiglia wanted to move the bar from
1111 S. Mission St. to property located between Appian
Way and Fairfield Drive.
Right before voting on the site plan proposal — which
commissioners rejected — Commission Chair Gerald
Cassel suggested building the facility at the south end of
■ See related story on cdy commission's decision
requiring student organizations to provide mere parking. Page
5	
town on open property near the Comfort Inn, 2424 S.
Mission St.
Audience members applauded the idea, and some even
joked alxiut helping build the bar at that location.
In a unanimous vote — with two commissioners absent
— the revised site plan was rejected.
"Personally, I would not want to place a bar like this
near a residential area." Commissioner Willard Allan
said. "I think we need to look at (the boundary integrity)
of residential zones."
At its Sept. 7 meeting, the commission rejected the first
site plan, proposed for the same location. Ix-cause it did
not allow for enough parking spaces.
Several area residents attended that meeting as well,
and many voiced concern about having a bar with
approximately 500 people near a residential neighborhood.
John Nee. of 1530 Briarwood Drive, said he and the
other community ■nembers who would be affected by the
bar's relocation were not opposing the proposal because
they disliked its owner.
See RELOCATE Page 10A
the- University has requested the
state fund ?S million orfil percent
of the- expansion Sixty-one
percent is equal to the amount of
general education space on
campus The expansion is
i*tlimited to co*t approximately
>|ll 2 million.
II the *!ale fund* Its share of the
building, tin- University could use
tli
extra     $.1.2     million     for
additional     projects    needed    on
campu*. Repp said
See PLAN Page 10A
Central's
investment
in jeopardy
by BRYAN G. LAVIOLETTE
CMU may lo*e part oi its
>-i.1:t>.(l<KI investment in a
Colorado utility company.
The deficit for- the year was
■ iilii.(Il\ $2.2 million, but the
University had a balance of $1.85
million going into 1988-89.
Mark Mehall. of Arthur
Andersen and Co.. the University's auditing firm, said CMU is
having discussions with
Colorado-Ute. a rural utility
near Grand Junction, Colo.,
arxmt whether CMU will recoup
all or part of its investment.
Mehall said at Thursday's
Hoard of Trustees meeting that
investment analysts gave the
investment a top rating.
Trustee William Odvkirk said,
however. that investment
analysts may have Ix-en wrong
alxml the rating.
"Kverything that was done
was done in the parameters of
our policy." Odvkirk said atiout
CMU's investment.
Mehall said the University
should not expect to lo*c the
entire investment at this point
Discussions are taking place now
between creditors, including a
representative from CMU and
the company, he said.
"The question is when do urn
get paid.'" Mehall said
Mehall said creditor* are
hoping to get their money out of
the investment while still
keeping the company running.
Trustee Cordon I.ambie said
whenever someone makes
investments, getting burned
every once in a while is expected.
"Our history points out that
we haven't done that badly."
I~imhie said
Trustees also discussed the
University's audit report. Mehall
said in a presentation to the
Hoard that the University has a
$350,000 deficit from 198H-89.
He said the deficit was
expected and not relatively high
considering the opportunity the
University has to reduce it with
increased revenues coming from
the 9.6 percent tuition increase
and the 8.1 percent increase in
state appropriations.
"Those two coupled together
will help you deal with that
situation," Mehall said.
Mehall said to find the
deficit, the auditing firm tcxik the
liabilities or expenditures the
University made last year and
subtracted them from General
Fund assets.