1983-01-21; Central Michigan Life

              i   *
Central Michigan LIFE
Vol.64 No. 45
1983 CM LIFE
Mount Pleasant. Mich.. -18859
10 pages
Friday. Jan. 21.1983
Come on down
CHI I Iff tod Hottvm
Despite the bone chilling weather. 5 year old Chad Chubb, of 2603 Millbrook Rd. did his
best to make it to the bottom of a hill near the football bleachers of Mount Pleasant High
School.
Enrollment boosted
by computer courses
by STEVE GOETZ
LIFE Copy Editor
Computer enthusiasts have
keyed in a 65 percent increase in
enrollment for Winter Semester
compared to last year's figures,
helping the University to an
unexpected Rain in enrollment.
Central's enrollment roster
for this semester totals 15.374.
said Registrar Alice St. Clair. A
few more students still have to
he added to the list from
Wednesday's late registration,
said Ronald Finch, associate
registrar.
"The increase in enrollment
was not predicted, it was a sur
prise — a pleasant surprise I'll
have to admit." St. Clair said.
CMU's enrollment totals
following Wednesday Drop and
Add were 217 students more
than last year at this time. St.
Clair said. An additional 50 more
registrants may he tacked on
the list when all late registrant
schedules are tabulated.
Enrollment normally
decreases for the Winter
Semester due to some seniors
graduating in December. Finch
said. So it was logical to compare
this semester's figures with
those a year ago. he said.
The Department of Computer
Science    has    registered    2.403
students. 838 more than 1982
Winter Semester registration.
said Chairman John Hansen.
"We're just putting more
students in courses than
before." Hansen said. Only two
computer science sections have
been added since 1982 Winter
Semester for a total of 52. he
said.
"If enrollment keeps increasing we are going to need more
equipment." he said.
Hansen said more money is
needed for duplicating machines
and graphics terminals at the
Computer Center in I'earce Hall.
Other departments haven't
(See "l-'nriillment" — page ■"»)
Soc. Sec. changes may
cost University $50,000
by MINDY NORTON
LIFE Ass't. News Editor
A proposal to save the na
lion's faltering Social Security
system may mean good news for
recipients, but the tax increase
could cost the University
$50,000 a year.
University administrators are
waiting to see the final proposal
before deciding what damage
the increase would cause, said
Jerry Tubbs, vice president for
Husiness and Finance.
The National Commission on
Social Security Reform has pro
posed raising the Social Security
payroll tax to 7 percent from (he
current level of f>.7 percent to
prevent the system from going
bankrupt.
Kmployers must match the
money   taken  out  of employees'
". . .Our budget problems are
troublesome enough." — Jerry Tubbs,
vice president for Business and Finance
checks for Social Security. If
Cent ral's employees were forced
to pay more, the University
would pay more. too.
Central could end up paying
about $50,000 more in payroll
taxes if Congress accepts the
commission's proposal. Tubbs
said.
He said this increase is "not
significant" compared to the
millions of dollars involved in
the budget.
"Hut   on   the  other  band, our
b u d g i' t p r o b I e m s        are
troublesome enough." Tubbs
said, adding how much the in
( re.ise hurts Central will depend
on the outcome of (iov. James
lU.tnchard's deferral of
payments in universities.
Karlicr this month Hlanchard
deferred $5 million in Central's
state payment  as part  of a plan
toease the slate's budget crisis.
(Sec "Hudirct" — pane 2)
Sheriff   denies   comments about officer
by PAUL MASON
LIFE Staff Writer
Former Isabella County Sheriff Donald Ciliis
Thursday denied making comments concerning
former Deputy Richard A. Croton that appeared
in a Mount Pleasant new spa per in l'.'Tii.
Ciillis said he never told I or me r Mount Pleasant
Daily  Times  News   reporter  .lames  H.irger   that
his
n
Croton was "a good officer and didn't fail in h
dut ies." during his lest imony m the Isabella' 'nun
t> ITt h Circuit Court.
"I said Croton was a good officer in his work as
a road officer." (J ill is. w ho ret i red in I'.ISO and now
lives in Sarasota. Fla.. said.
Croton's claim originates trotti a Dec. 2'.». li'Tli
article in which (iilhs said Croton was relieved
from duty because of his "all itude and because he
did not get along w ith ot her officers."
(lillis said he disagreed with statements in the
newspaper but said he never told H.irger. cur
rently a reporter with the (irand Rapids Press, of
his disapproval.
Croton. of Coleman, filed a civil suit against
(iillis seeking damages for defamation of
character and violation of his civil rights for free
speech.   Croton   was  an   Isabella   County   deputy
under liillis in ll.»70. until Ins dismissal Dec. 2-1.
197*;.
H.irger s.mi during testimony Wednesdav be
found out about Croton's dismissal from an
anonymous male caller who was '"sympathetic to
t he firing."
tiillis fired Croton because ot bis attitude and
inability to get along with other officers, [larger
(See "Lawsuit" — page 10)
Local man pleads
guihy  to fraud
A Mount Pleasant man has
been arrested and pled guilty to
two charges fraud mater $100
and larceny of mail. a
spokeswoman for the Mount
Pleasant Police Depart ment mhI
Thursday.
The suspect was arrested "in
connection with a fraud scheme
operated in the Isabella County
area during the past several
weeks," according to the ollici.il
news release.
Police said the suspect's name
could not be released because he
was being held in the Isabella
Coanty Jail on a third charge, a
felony. Police would not specify
what the third charge was.
Police detectives said the
suspect  had  been going  door to
door posing as a representative
of the Clare Future Farmers of
America, securing deposits for
oranges that were to be
deliv ereil at a later date.
The man. 21, also pled guilty
to charges of larceny of mail,
police said. The suspect was ar
rested for stealing mail from
residential mailboxes, the police
spokesw inmn said.
Police said they had received
numerous calls about the fraud
scheme from Mount Pleasant
residents and surrounding areas
w it hin Isabella County.
Police are requesting anyone
victimized in t he scheme to con
tact the Mount Pleasant Police
Department.
Abel finds fun in new found fame
by JANET HASTINGS
LIFE Editor
Stardom has not changed President Harold Abel.
Despite his likeness being plastered in newspapers anil
magazines across the state anil nation. Abel, the Karl Maiden
of health insurance, says he's just "your average run of the
mill University president."
A caricature of Abel, as well as quotes from a taped inter
view, have become t he subject of a nat ion wide Blue Cross Rlue
Shield health insurance advertising campaign.
The campaign, which began in October, includes full page
ads in 30 daily newspapers across the state anil national
magazines such as Time. Newsweek and U.S. News and World
Report, along with radio spots.
T never dreamed t hi y would use me to advertise so cxten
sively." Abel said. "When they first asked me I said to myself,
I his w oulil be great publicity for t he U niversify." "
"You know   the old saving. "It doesn't matter what  you say-
about  me as long as you spell my name right." " Abel said.
"They promised they  would spell my name right and I said I
would do the endorsement."
(See "Abt I " — page 2)
(
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In Brief
Students who wish to get their University W-
2 income tax forms early can pick them up in
Warriner's first floor lobby 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. today. The forms will be mailed to students Tuesday.
Campus
The County Commission has made a
decision on Sheriffs
Department concessions negotiations,
page :t
Residents of the
great white north,
sometimes known as
the Upper Peninsula,
are profiled.
page 3
Sports
The women stayed
in first and the men
lost a close one in
basketball action
Wednesday.
page 7
Index
Arts and Leisure »'»
Classifieds 9
Comment 1
Hotel America 1
Off the Wire 2
Sports 7
Spotlife 9
Weather 9