1986-06-11; Central Michigan Life

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C1966 CM LIFE
Mount Pltwaamt. Michigan 48869
12
Wednesday, June 11.1966
Care flear shuffle -"—'—
A special olympian shows Chaw BMr a few dance steps
while John Senna-rid**-- performed at th. opening tarimonlM
Thursday at KeHy/Shorts Stadium.
by SANDRA 8UTTON
LIFE News Editor
Inspiring spectators of tbe 1986 Summer
Special Olympics. 3.200 mentally handicapped
competitors displayed their athletic skills and
talents.  •
"We had more spectators show up this year
than last, and more last year than ever before,"
Barb Merritt, public education coordinator for
Special Olympics, said.
Merritt said approximately 8,000 people
attended opening ceremonies and about 5,000
people watched the various events while athletes
from throughout Michigan competed for recognition and enjoyment.
"We had people representing virtually every
area of the state," Merritt said
During the games approximately 800 volunteers were needed every day to make things run
smoothly, Merritt said.
"We had no problem getting volunteers this
year. We had plenty," she said.
Merritt said approximately 'A ofthe volunteers
are CMU students but added many travel from
locations throughout Michigan to participate in
Special Olympics.
Every year representatives of Michigan Special
Olympics attend events and evaluate the
program.
"Every year we improve based on those
suggestions," Merritt said. "Although we've got a
great "group of core volunteers and everyone
works, there's always room for improvement"
The Summer Special Olympics has existed for
about 12 years, she added.
The summer games consist of seven divisions of
competition: track and field, swimming and
diving, gymnastics, bowling, volleyball, weight
lifting and tennis. In the past, athletes could
compete in more than one ofthe divisions but this
year, because of scheduling conflicts, competitors
were limited to one athletic group, Merritt said.
"This was the first year we did this and it went
over pretty well." she said "We-wanted to get
away from the problem where people who were
supposed to be running in track events were also
scheduled to swim at the same time."
Within the seven athletic divisions many
different events were conducted and competitors
could participate in any three of those individual
categories, Merritt said.
She said athletes compete in categories
differentiated by age and ability.
"We have such a wide range of ability that it's a
challenge for us to keep challenging both ends of
. the ability range," Merritt said.
Track and field events and bowling are popular
choices for athletes and spectators but gymnastics and swimming and diving are growing in
popularity, Merritt said.
Besides the summer and winter games. Special
Olympics organizes four state competitions
annually for the mentally impaired. During
August a softball tournament is conducted in
Midland. Warren hosts a soccer tournament
during October.
A poly-hockey tournament, featuring a type of
floor hockey, is conducted at Michigan State
University during November, and Grand Rapids
hosts a basketball tournament during March.
"Special Olympics is a year-round program and
many people may not realize that," Merritt said.
"The program has grown tremendously in the
past five years."
Magistrate gives opinion in Wen lawsuit
by Kris Hahn
LIFE StafT Writer
Although a final judgement of the
Peh-Yun Wen discrimination lawsuit
against the University has not been filed, a
United States magistrate entered a recommendation June *i in favor of CMU.
Master Charles E. Binder, of the U.S.
District Court, Bay City, recommended that
final judgement ofthe six-year-old Peh-Yun
Wen discrimination lawsuit be entered in
favor of CMU, the defendant, and against
plaintiff Peh-Yun Wen, former tenured
geography assistant professor.
University Counsel Eileen Jennings said
information from the Wen case supports the
University's stand on the firing of tenured
professors.
The overall message that was confirmed
is that we certainly can dismiss tenured
faculty members — if we have cause,"
Jennings said.
Prior to the decision, there was some
doubt whether tenured faculty members*
could be dismissed, but the decision
maintains faculty members maybe fired for
certain reasons, she said.
"One thing we learned is we did a good job
of documenting why we dismissed Mr. Wen,
and documenting problems in the case,"
Jennings said. "This reinforces the importance of documenting as you go along. When
people document things carefully, they can
spot problems, and make efforts to resolve
those differences."
Wen was fired Oct. 23, 1980 by Provost
John Cantelon for "an extensive pattern of
deficiency." including problems with
students, complaints and a series of
incidents which occured during the early
1970s.
Wen was the first tenured faculty
member to be permanently dismissed,
Jennings said. The case has set a University
precedent, she added.
Because no tenured professors have been
permanently dismissed until this point,
people questioned the ability of the University to dismiss professors, she said.
"Because we hadn't done it before, people
wondered 'Can we do it?*" Jennings said.
This case proves that it can be done."
Tenured   professors   usually   have   job
•See "Wen"—page 12
Peh-Yun Wen
Apathy plagues decertification
by PAT HOUSLEY
UFE Editor
Although some faculty
members would like to see
the Faculty Association
decertified, apathy could
make the process ineffective.
According to Robert
Claaon, math professor, a
move to decertify the
Faculty Association would
not be successful because of
apathy on the part of faculty
tsesfiocrs*
"Not enough  people will
get involved to have a
substantia] impact," he said.
George Stengren, philosophy professor, said he had
heard some talk about it, but
would not give out any
names of those involved. He
also said he would be in
favor of it.
1 will not be one of the
leaden of it, but I will be in
favor of it," he said.
He said in the laat year or
so there have been several
8upreme Court decisions
which   have   strengthened
anti-union causes.
This spring the Supreme
Court ruled that compulsory
agency shop service fees
cannot be extracted from
non-members unless the
union reveals exactly how
the money is spent," he said.
For the past decade
Stengren, plus a few other
faculty members, has been
involved in a lawsuit against
the FA over dues.
Stengren   said   about   17
percent of dues money went
ISee nhrfoa*'—-pave 11
Uphold, Archey win
school board seats
by AGATHA SYTEK
UFE StafT Writer
Instigating change within
the Mount Pleasant School
Board, area voters elected
candidate Susan Archey to the
board while re-electing incumbent Louise Uphold.
Norman Assman, incumbant
and 16-year veteran to the
board, lost his bid for
re-election with 754 votes
compared to Arche/s 1,110
votes and Uphold's 1,003 votes.
Carole Strickler, the fourth
candidate running for a board
seat, captured 53 votes.
"I think the community
needs to extend appreciation to
Mr. Assman,' said Robert
Janson, superintendent of
Mount Pleasant Public Schools.
"He spent a heck of a lot of time
and did a lot of good things for
which he should be recognixed."
Janson said he did not want
to speculate about any changes
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