1985-04-10; Central Michigan Life

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Michigan LIFE
Wednesday, April 10,1985
c 1M8CMLIFE
22 pages
Mount Pleasant. Mich. 48859.'
VoL68No.84
Department chair
turnover rate high
Guess who?
One of the people in this photo Is a current CMU athletic
coach. During the 1970s this coach traveled the country as a
musician, before becoming an Olympic athlete. Can you guess
which one it Is? Turn to page 19 for the answer and a story on
this Individual.
Indians' school attendance a problem
a JEFF GREEN
-EStaffWrfter
The plight of the Native
American in the Mount
Pleasant School System is a
complex problem but does
have some hope in the cooperation between Indians and administrators.
The Native American attendance program was discussed at
a recent school board meeting.
The problem is an everyday
reality for Mount Pleasant
High School, said Title IV
counselor Jeanette Deiss. a Native American.
Title IV is a program which
serves as a social and classroom guidance program, a
big-sister program, Deiss said.
Deiss reported out of 51 Indian students enrolled in the high
school at the beginning of the
year only 35 remain in school.
"If I had went through this
school when I was young I
wouldn't have made it," Deiss
said.
"In California they were
more willing to work with the
Indian people, the Title IV
program was the only way I
made it through school," Deiss
said.
"I am involved in family
planning problems, problems
with the parents or brothers
and sisters as well as problems
with the classwork." Deiss
said.
Deiss said attendance and
grades were a big problem
among Native American students, but often improvements
were down-played.
"You've got to learn that a
drop from 15 to five absences
in six weeks or a raise in grades
from a D plus to a C minus is
progress and not expect mira
cles," Deiss said.
"We're basically working tn
two different worlds — we've
got to get our heads together
instead of laying blame for
mistakes," Deiss said.
Vocational Counselor Mark
Abler said he feels much of the
problems stem from cultural
differences.
"The white man basically
functions on linear time and
time is money and money is the
goal. The Native American culture is seasonal, the value is in
the time itself, the activity is
not as important as being,"
Abler said.
The white man is saying the
Indian must be on time, a structured schedule that is not the
Indian way, Abler said.
Misunderstanding of the Indian culture traps the Indian
student between two worlds,
Abler said.
"Tbe Indian student suffers
from the 'red apple' syndrome
— red on the outside, white on
the inside. If they are too successful they are ostresized because the Indian culture does
not stress materialism," Abler
said.
Abler stressed that the Native American student needs to
understand their own culture
in order to be integrated into
the white man's culture.
"Native Americans have to
regain pride in themselves as
people and know why they are
proud — they need to find out
the positive aspects of their
culture instead of the negative," Abler said.
"It is not a simple problem.
We had a student who was very
successful by our standards.
He received good grades,
made money and showed up for
♦See "Natives" — page IS
bySHERRYYAEK
LIFE Asst News Editor
Department chairpersons
are unhappy with their responsibilities, and that unhappiness
is causing a turnover rate of as
many as 10 chairpersons a
year.
Chairpersons of academic
departments cite increased responsibility and not enough
time for doing research and
teaching as reasons for concern about their jobs.
"A chairperson's duties have
quadrupled during the last few
years — you spend all your
time being an administrator,"
History Chairman John Haeger said.
Despite increased duties,
chairpersons still are required
to do research and teach at
least half-time.
Haeger has been History
chairman for three years but is
one of at least six chairpersons
who will relinquish their duties
next year.
Haeger said his responsibili-
ties include developing a
budget for his department,
scheduling classes and overseeing 19 faculty members
plus a secretary and students
working in the department.
"We're responsible for every
little piece of nonsense handed
down from the administration," Haeger said.
A new responsibility this
year is taking an equipment inventory within tbe department. Previously, Physical
Plant workers handled that job,
Haeger said.
In the History Department, a
chairperson can serve as many
as six years.
"I wanted to see what the
position was like. I have now
seen," Haeger said.
During the 1984-85 school
year, 10 of the University's 36
academic department's had
new chairpersons, said Jon
Darrow, assistant vice provost
for Academic Administration.
During the 1983-84 school
year, the turnover rate was at
nine.
Darrow said this is the first
time the Administration has
looked at the statistics.
"We are aware that the department chairs have expressed some concerns," Darrow
said.
The Administration is planning a study of chairperson
positions at other universities,
R. William Dunham, vice provost for Faculty Contractual
Relations, said. The study is a
result of the 1984-'87 faculty
contract in which it is agreed
negotiations concerning chairpersons would be re-opened if
their duties changed due to the
recently-approved calendar
for the next academic year.
♦See "Turnover" — page IS
Toxic dump group
to discuss solutions
by H. JOSEPH GAMMAGE
UFE Staff Writer
The Michigan Toxic Dump Site Coalition will have its third
annual conference to discuss solutions for the problem of toxic
pollutants affecting Isabella and other Michigan counties.
Isabella County has experienced the same problem other
counties throughout Michigan have been facing: the concern of
how the disposal of toxic products affects residents'health.
Andrea Wilson, conference organizer for the coalition, an
organization comprised of environmental groups and concerned individuals said her concern involves the possible pollution of water in Isabella County. She said the water may be
contaminated with benzene, a possible cancer-causing clement
due to possible leakage of oil brine water into municipal wells.
♦See "Toxic" — page 14
Student attacked;
reward offered
A $500 reward is being offered for the apprehension of three
assailants who allegedly attacked a CMU student Monday night,
knocking her unconscious and taking her coat.
The 20-year-old female student was jogging near Finch Field-
house between the tennis courts and the outdoor track at 8:15
p.m. when she was attacked from behind by three men. said
John McAuliffe, director of the Department of Public Safety.
She was taken to Central Michigan Community Hospital by
ambulance and treated for head injuries, he added.
A maroon CMU Judo Club jacket, of a baseball/varsity type
with gold lettering was taken from the victim, a report stated.
The name of the victim was being withheld for her protection
and details about the incident were sketchy since descriptions
of the assailants were not available.
Police urge anyone with information about the incident to
contact DPS at 774-3081. Confidentiality will be honored.
McAuliffe said police are unsure if the robbery was armed or
unarmed since they are unsure how the victim became unconscious.
Unarmed robbery is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in
prison. Armed robbery is a felony punishable by life in prison.
In Brief
The deadline for filing a repeat request
card for the Winter Semester is 5 p.m. Friday.
The cards are available at the Registrar's
Office, Warriner 260. Students enrolled in a
course previously completed should file the
card so correct adjustments can be made.
LaBounty elected Board chairman
byPAULMASON
UFE Managing Editor
The Board of Trustees Friday unanimously selected
trustee Raymond LaBounty
as Board chairman.
Selection of LaBounty as
chair ended a three-month
deadlock between trustees
over the position, one which
is traditionally not the subject of debate.
"I think we've moved
along as a Board without a
chair but we're all pleased
it's behind us," LaBounty, of
Ypsilanti, said.
At Friday's meeting, the
Board also unanimously
approved a $130 increase in
1985-86 residence hall room
and board rates. The increase is intended to meet
increasing costs and build
up reserve funds, said
Arthur Ellis, vice president
for Public Affairs.
Trustees also approved to
delay voting on an Administration recommendation to
increase tuition and fees for
1985-86. The Administration
recommended undergraduate tuition be increased from
the current $47 per credit
hour to $48.50. The board, on
a suggestion from LaBounty, vot£d to delay approving
the recommendation until
the Administration provides
further information about
alternatives to an increase.
Also recommended by the
Administration is an increase in graduate tuition
and fees for state residents
from $63.50 to $66. Undergraduate non-resident tuition and fees would be increased from $120 to $124
and graduate non-resident
tuition and fees would increase from $138 to $143.
The Board also approved
usage of the current pres
idential search procedures
as recommended by the
Presidential Search Procedure Review Committee.
The Board established the
Presidential Search Review
Committee March 1. The
idea came under fire when
the Academic Senate voted
to send the Board a letter
condemning the creation of
a review at the time.
LaBounty said search for a
president will begin immediately under current
search procedures. The
Assessment and Development Committee will "take
the lead" in the search for a
president to replace President Harold Abel. Ellis has
been named interim president.
The committee is comprised of trustees Gordon Lambie, of Dearborn Heights;
Margaret Riecker, of Midland; Rachael Moreno, of
ounty
Inside
Four remain hospitalized following a
fatal car accident last
week.
page 3
Two Shakespearean productions will
be performed this
weekend.
page 6
Sports
The brooms came
out for the baseball
team's MAC opener.
page 16
Lansing; and Mitch Kehetian, of Allen Park.
"They'll be reporting to
the Board af the next meeting on where they stand and
they'll be acting aggressively for the Board," LaBounty
said.
Weather
Partly sunny and
warmer today with
scattered rain showers, possibly mixed
with snow. Highs mid
40s to mid 50s. Partly
sunny   Thursday.
ill
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