1986-04-11; Central Michigan Life

              *-.t^
During tense moment* of
the night, law enforcement
agencies concentrated a
spotlight on the nous* at
2161 Benn Dr. The suspect,
Thomes Williams, can be
seen (wearing white) In the
left front window of the
house, above. The remaining
evidence of the previous
night's scuffle could be seen
In the broken windshields
and other damaged patrol
cars, left. Meanwhile, a
Michigan State Police officer
dresses In preparation before
entering the house during
the first hours of light
Thursday morning.
CMl»M«fn«wrtbf
Student rate
hike planned
for next year
by RANDY LOVELY *
LIFE Managing Editor
No action will be taken on tuition/room and board increases during
today's Board of Trustees meeting, but students should prepare for a
rate increase in the 1986-87 school year.
Jerry Tubbs, vice president for Business and Finance, was given
approval during Thursday's Finance Committee meeting to proceed
with auxiliary budget plans including an 11.32 percent room and board
rate hike.
The board will be presented formally with the housing rate increase
during ita May 2 meeting, but action on a proposed tuition jump is not
expected until the board's June 13 meeting.
The room and board rate hike would raise student fees $266 from
the current $2,350. James Hill, vice president for Student Affairs,
reported Tuesday an approximate 10 percent, or $235 increase, would
be brought before the board.
' Tubbs said the increase would be used to offset a $43 per student
liability insurance rate; $60 per student utility payment increase; $50
ISee "Tuition"—page 11
President delays
provost selection
by RANDY LOVELY
LIFE Managing Editor
Barricaded man found dead by police
by BETH MENGE
LIFE StafT Writer
An armed Kunman was found dead in his Chippewa Township home
early Thursday, more than 15 hours after he barricaded himself alone
inside, periodically exchang-in*- gunfire with police.
Thomas Joseph Wlltrama, 35. fired a shot into the yard er2161"Benn
Drive at 2 p.m. Wednesday when Isabella County Sheriff's deputies
went to get Williams for psychiatric treatment, said Capt. John J.
Bradac of the Sheriffs Department.
The exchange continued until about 5:30 a.m. Thursday when police
discovered Williams dead in his kitchen.
"He's deader than Hell," an emergency service team member said of
Williams after police entered the home. Police are unsure whether
Williams was killed by a police officer's bullet or a self-inflicted shot.
Approximately 20 homes were evacuated in the subdivision four
miles east of Mount Pleasant near the intersection of Shepherd Road
and M-20. while law enforcement agencies first gathered at the scene.
Six children who live in the subdivision were not dropped off by the
school bus due to a combination of police barricades and possible
danger  They were returned to Mary McGuire School, at Crosslanes
and Isabella Road, until parents could get them 15 to 20 minutes later.
Principal Richard Stokes said.
The police negotiated with Williams by telephone, Bradac said.
"Prior to 8 p.m. we had made contact with him. After 8 p.m. it
deterred to the point where he would no longer answer the
phone :".'. The ex-wife and Ulster were'avail able along with a priest (at
the scene)," Bradac said.
After 8 p.m., it became apparent Williams had disconnected his
phone and was making no effort to contact authorities headquartered
in a van behind another house, Bradac said.
Spotlights were aimed at the house after dark.
"The lights have been shot out. We've been feloniously assaulted
with a firearm," a voice on the police monitor said at 8:03 p m.
Bradac said around 8 p.m., Williams, who had an undetermined
number of shotguns and rifles, fired a round of ammunition from his
front porch, destroying many of the flood lights Although police
officers were in the vicinity, they were not close enough to be in severe
danger.
Williams then went to the back porch and began firing at a patrol
ISee "Gunman"—page 10
Campus constituents will wait
three weeks before an interim
provost is selected, although the
announcement was to have been
made during today's Board of
Trustees meeting.
President Arthur Ellis said
Thursday he will not announce
the temporary replacement for
retiring Provost John Cantelon
until the board's May 2 meeting.
"In as much that the next board
meeting la only three weeks away
I have decided to wait," Eilia said.
Originally, in an open letter to
the campus dated Feb. 24, Ellis
said, "I will set target dates to
assure that the announcement of
the person selected through the
internal search will be made in
time for board ratification at the
April meeting."
Ellia said two factors contributed to the delay — a heavy
workload and the need for an
appearance of stability during the
North Central Association accreditation visit this week. Cantelon
has organized the team visit, and
EW» said he did not want. to. add
»£•* -ProvoatVpage 11
FA denied request to address board
by CHERYL JACKSON
LIFE Copy Editor and
SHERRY YAEK
LIFE Editor
Citing pending legal action as a
reason, the Board of Trustees
denied Faculty Association President Joyce Henricks' request to
address the board during today's
trustee meeting.
Henricks said she requested to
be put on today's agenda last
week, but received a letter of
denial Wednesday from Trustee
Chairman Raymond LaBounty.
"Basically, it makes reference to
the pending legal action,"
Henricks said of LaBounty's
denial.
Henricks said the letter read. "I
do not wish to prejudice either
your position or ours by further
public     statements     at     this
time... I therefore deny your
request."
Because the letter was signed
only by LaBounty, Henricks said
she does not know if the choice
was a group decision. The letter
indicated carbon copies were sent
to trustees.
"I'm going to request again at
tomorrow's meeting to be put on
the agenda," she said, adding if
she is denied a second time, she
will be convinced "they all do
agree and, too, that they really
don't have that much respect for
the faculty."
"I really feel this is an insult to
the faculty," Henricks added
Henricks said she did not intend
to mention to FA's lawsuit if
permitted to speak. She said she
wanted to express to the trustees
that faculty are still concerned
ISee "Speak*—page 11
Accreditation team
demands answers
by SHERRY YAEK
LIFE Editor
An eight-member team with the power to recommend renewal or
denial of Central's accreditation demanded answers from the Board of
Trustees regarding its roles at the University.
During an hour meeting Thursday night with Central's eight
trustees, the national team from North Central Association — the
agency which gTants accreditation — questioned what role the board
follows in the University structure and how members planned to end
the presidential search debate.
"The board sets policy and the administration implements it," said
Trustee Bernadine Denning in defining the job of the University's
governing body.
"I don't think you'll find in this board any instance where the board
has stepped out of that role," Board Chairman Raymond LaBounty
said.
Team chairman George Hendrick, University of Illinois English
professor, said he and his cohorts, on campus for a three-day stay, are
talking to "everyone, including chairs, deans, students, faculty,
waitresses,   whomever"  about   the  University,   its  assets   and   its
ISee "Accreditation"—page 2
Rape suspect turns
himself in to court
A man who allegedly committed second degree criminal sexual
conduct in a November 19S4 incident at Northwest Apartments,
turned himself in at 7tUh District Court in Mount Pleasant Thursday.
A spokesman from the Michigan State Police said Timothy Dennis
Gage. i!4. of New Orleans. La. and formerly of Mount Pleasant, was
accompanied hv an attorney when he turned himself in at Isabella
ISee "Rape"—page 11
LIFE-line
News Brief
Early registration for fall classes begins Monday in Finch
Fieldhouse A $25 registration fee must accompany the course
request.
Weather
Partly sunny with slight
chance of rain or snow northeast Friday, clear to partly
cloudy south and west. Highs
upper 30s to low 50s. Clear to
partly cloudy Friday night
and Saturday. Lows Friday
night upper 20s to mid-30s.
Highs Saturday mid-40s to
low 50s.
Index
LIFE-wire page2
CM-You page 3
Comment page 4
Bloom County page 4
Entertainment page 6
Spotlife page 6
Police Report* page 10
Court Report* page 10
Code of Conduct page 10
Classifieds page 15
Elections net lowest turnout in 6 years
by ROGER MORGENSTERN
LIFE Copy Editor
In the lowest turnout of the
decade, current Student
Government Association Vice
President Pam Weaver and
representative Chris Hafke
beat out challengers Frankie
Hale and Greg
Moore in SGA's
executive election.
A total of 911
votes. or 5.7
percent of the
student body cast
ballots for the two
presidential/vice
presidential teams
Tuesday and
Wednesday.
Elections Director
Myk Riemersma
said the vote count
was only slightly
higher in the races
for district
representatives.
The winning
ticket of Weaver,
Warren junior, and Hafke,
Davisburg junior, collected 507
votes. Presidential hopeful
Hale, Milleraburg junior, and
his running mate Moore,
Midland junior, gathered 394
votes.
SGA President Paul Q"Bryan
SGA
Presidential
Voting
Percentages,
1980-86
1980.
 10.5%
J 981.
 9%
1982.
 7%
1983.
 9.9%
1984.
 6%
1985
1986
 11%
 5.7%
said he was disappointed with
the turnout for the presidential
race, which was more than 800
less than last year's count of
1,757.
"There's a lot of apathy that
exists on campus. We've done
as much as 1 think Student
Government can
do to get out there.
We've tried to
come up with a
better system for
voting this year
and there was
definitly a lot of
improvements,"
O'Bryan. Mount
Pleasant senior,
said.
This year,
instead of
providing polling
places in several
campus locations,
voting was done
during the day
Tuesday and
Wednesday outside the Bovee
University Center Reservation
and Tuesday night in Park
Library.
"It's   not   Student   Government's responsibility to beg and
do anything we can to get these
ISee "SGAW—page 2
Chris Hafke get* • rushed hug from Pam Weaver'
afternoon in Park Library after taBing her of thair victory In this
waak's Student Government Association presidential race.
Weaver and Hafke defeated Frankie Hale and his running mate
Greg Moore 507-394.