1987-08-31; Central Michigan Life

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Central
MONDAY
August 31, 1987
SECTION A
:-l
UUM-5 V, NUMBER I
.MOUNT PLEASANT. Mt 48859
©J987CMLIFE
3 SECTIONS
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Jt'*i just another Song day during construction of the futuristic industrial engineering and technology building
for Such Palmer, foreman of The Christman Company o! Lansing. Workers pour concrete for the foundation of
the building, which will have 30 laboratories and feature high-tech equipment. November 1988 is the
scheduled completion date. Please see related story, page IB.
Making the dean list
Belck looks to 21st century with EHHS;
Johnstone makes plans for the short term
by MARCIA McDONALD
LIFE Assistant News E-lilor	
Two new academic leaders are
looking forward, whether it be
into the next century or the next
week, to fulfilling their responsibilities at CMU.
Both Nancy Belck, newly
appointed dean of the school of
Education, Health and Human
Services, and Ronald Johnstone,
acting dean of the college of Arts
and Sciences,
took over
their
positions   in
July.
And    both
have set
goals for
themselves.
"I see
myself as BELCK
being a visionary leader who
wants to work with the faculty
and see where they are going in
the 21 st century," Belck said about
her game-plan of progress. "A
university can't keep doing what it
has always done."
Belck replaces former dean
William Theunissen and Acting
Dean Michael Kent. Before the
CMU assignment, Belck worked
eight years as dean of the college
of Human Ecology at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Years earlier she received a
master's degree in textile science
from that same university after
graduating from the undergraduate teacher education program
at Louisiana Polytechnic Institute: —   * —    -   -  - -* '	
And she is no stranger to
Michigan either.
Belck worked as a faculty
member and earned her doctorate
in communication decision theory
at Michigan State University in
the 1960s. She also has worked in
Washington, D.C. and Arizona.
"I   look   forward   to   living   in
Mount Pleasant. Everyone has
been helpful and cooperative. It
really is a friendly campus. It was
an advantage coming here in July
(as opposed to right before school
started) because I've been meeting
people," she said.
Belck said her philosophy is
proactive rather than reactive.
"I want us to be programming
for the 21st century. In May I met
with department faculty
members. It gave me the opportunity to find out their input and
to set my vision for the school with
a plan of work for the year," Belck
said.
She expressed that plan of work
in a fall kickofT speech entitled
"Proactive is Better Than
Reactive: Shaping the Future of
EHHS Through Cooperative
Strategic Planning." She gave the
speech to the EHHS faculty and
staff Tuesday in the Bovee
University Center Auditorium.
After the speech, the audience
broke into small groups to share
information and formulate ideas
for progressing through the year.
It is important that both faculty
and staff members are included in
shaping the school's direction,
Belck said.
"We have to do two things —
one, determine where we want to
go, and two, determine how is the
best way of doing that," Belck
said.
Johnstone said he also will start
a discussion on program and
organizational development that
could result in changes, but "I'm
going to try to keep things going
that are already underway," he
said.
Acting Provost Janice Reynolds
selected Johnstone for a one year
appointment as acting dean after
former dean Myron Henry
accepted a position as vice president for academic affairs at Virginia's Old Dominion University
last spring.
New bunkmates can be mindblowing
by JACKIE RYNIAK
LIFE Assistant News frd tor	
Shock waves from the new
experience of college life are
enough to blow students' minds —
and leave them with some
valuable skills
Without having known each
other beforehand, roommates
often end up together by fate. The
relationships produce problems
solved best by open communication, much like marriage.
"Roommates should establish
some kind of agreement to handle
things honestly, openly and
tactfully. It's the ideal preparation
for marriage," CMU Counselor
Donald Bertsch said.
If an agreement to deal with
problems is not established soon
in the relationship, many minor
situations can build up and cause
a major conflict, Bertsch said.
"It's the little things that
irritate," he added.
Problems arise because many
students come to CMU without
ever having shared a bedroom
before, Bertsch said.
"They have a hard time with
adjusting, and now they have to
share with three or four other
people. It's a lot of give and take,
and contact of values, beliefs and
ideas. They have to compromise,
and that's not easy," Bertsch said.
Before talking to their
roommate about' a problem, too
often students go to a Resident
Assistant <RA> for help, which
works against the hall staff
members' purpose, Bertsch said.
"RA's are there to facilitate a
dialogue and help students to say
what they want to say. The first
thing   an  RA asks is "Have you
talked to them?' You're to do that
first. It's not the role of the RA,"
Bertsch said.
Dealing with homesickness
contributes to developing strong
relationships in a residence hall,
Bertsch added.
"About 70 percent (of students)
experience some level of
homesickness. They should get
involved and reach out, and
establish an identity within a
group they can turn to. In college,
you have to do a lot of scary
things, and you have to reach out
when you don't know a single soul.
You have to remember you're not
the only one doing these scary-
things and facing rejection,"
Bertsch said.
Residence hall staffs usually
set up programs to establish a
feeling of unity, said Dino
Martinez,   Southeast   Residence
Halls complex manager.
"What we share with RA's is to
try to help create an atmosphere
conducive to community living, to
living with one another." Martinez
said.
A good attitude is the key factor
in adjusting to living in a
residence hall, Martinez said.
"If you think you're going to
have a bad time, you're not going
to like it here. But if you think 'I'm
going to make it the best,' it will
be. A lot (of people) are willing to
have that happen. People will
recognize that and invite you to
the (hall) activities. If you want
help, people are willing to give it,"
Martinez said.
"It doesn't mean you're weak.
Think of it as stopping at a gas
station and asking for directions,"
Martinez said.
Saxe-Herrig is the place to be for hall dwellers
by MIKE HEREK
LIFE Copy Edior
Tradition holds that most towns have a so-called "hot spot" —
others call it "the place to be." Thats because most everyone has a
favorite hang-out joint.
But who would ever have thought of a residence hall as the in place?
That's apparently the case at CMU. where many students think so
highly of Saxe-Herrig residence halls that they make it a point to live
there at least one year and some residents camp overnight outside the
hall during spring room draw to reserve a spot.
George Jennings, director of Housing and Food Services, said the
hall is so popular that freshmen are a minority there. Though no
figures will be available until after a scheduled survey in October, he
said he expects the number of upperclassmen to be up from last year.
Saxe had about a 70 percent return rate and Herrig was at about 65
percent last year. Tate Hall also was popular with a 66 percent return
rate.
By comparison, the least popular residence halls are Wheeler, Cobb,
Carey and Troutman that comprise the Towers Complex. Jennings
said traditionally the complex has the lowest student return rate, so
most of ita occupants are freshmen. In fact, about 75 percent of the
Please See HALLS page 11
However, Johnstone said the
appointment probably will be
renewed for another year.
Johnstone said there are no
plans to hire a new dean now
because the University doesn't
want to hire someone under one
organizational structure and then
possibly change it. They also want
to wait until a new president and
provost are hired to insure the
new dean will be someone they
approve, Johnstone said.
Johnstone was associate dean of
Arts and Sciences when appointed
for the acting dean position. He
said some department chairs who
are insecure with an acting dean
have expressed some concerns.
"I feel that it is a legitimate
concern. I personally don't think
that it will hurt us. We have had
so many 'acting' people over the
last several years, and that's good
because it brings progress."
Johnstone said.
The real action in the school
comes from the faculty, who see
that things get done in the
positions above them, Johnstone
said. I rj>k^
An       area
Johnstone
will   concentrate on
during     his
term   is   the
continued
implementation   of   the
additional
writing
across   the   curriculum   requirement.
Johnstone also will oversee the
construction, staffing, furnishing
and equipment for the new industrial engineering and technology
lIETl building and for the Science
II building.
Patrick Flanagan, new dean of
the school of Graduate Studies,
will arrive on campus to assume
his duties In-ginning Tuesday.
JOHNSTONE
Hanging out
UC, Park Library, nightclubs
are student gathering places
by LORRAINE F1NLEY
LIFE Assistant News Editor
It's common for new CMU students to feel out of place.
Those large classrooms, theater-si2e lecture halls, and 16,000
new faces can intimidate even the most social types.
But wait — there ia hope of making friends with many of those
strangers. A visit to one of several popular student hangouts might
be the answer to homesickness.
A variety of places, both on and off campus, offer students an
opportunity to socialize in an atmosphere for meeting new people
and making new friends.
The Bovee University Center Reservation, on the lower level of
the UC, is one ofthe most popular places on campus to meet with
friends, kill time between classes and maybe grab something to eat.
Priscilla Adams, senior cashier of the Reservation, said the
Reservation is popular because it is centrally located and offers a
jukebox, food and drinks.
"It's easy for people to get to from all over campus," Adams said.
"It has a relaxing atmosphere for people to sit and talk. It's
somewhere for students to be between classes and maybe make
plans for later.*
Taking part in a game of pick-up basketball, pumping iron in the
weight room, or taking a swim in the pool all can lead to building
new friendships with people who share the same interests.
CMU has several forums for these activities.
Rose Arena and Finch Fieldhouse are becoming increasingly
popular meeting places for people interested in fitness programs
and recreation.
Tom Jones, director of Campus Recreational Services, said the
two facilities receive about a quarter-million visits every year, and
Rose and Finch are especially popular on weekends and evenings
during the winter.        	
Please See HANGOUT page 11
Inside
What to wear
Clothes ar* casual. rot-styles are
*»rmetNr«gels«
■Special program
CMU ts home to Michigan Special
Olympics ■'■.-.-■
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Northern research
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Students   learn   outdoor*   -st
/Section B
Who's In charge?
Two vw for teem's quartartactc
/Page 1C
BRIEFLY
Drop Add cootnues through Wednesday
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INDEX
UFtwire page2B '
Corri)trig<Urr*puses page38 "
Opinion page 4 8
BtocmCounty page4B ;
Errtfcrt*nment sections ;
UFBog....:..-:   sectionB :
Sports „ ...seaionC :