1982-10-06;Central Michigan Life

              Group nixes shutdown; files grievance
by JANET HASTINGS
LIFE Managing Editor
Layoffs will be imposed on nearly 400 members of a campus union
who voted Monday not to sign a letter or agreement with the Administration for a University-wide shutdown.
Along with refusing to accept the shutdown the American
Federation of State. County and Municipal Employiesalsohas filed a
grievance against the University, said Terry Stoner. director of
Personnel and Staff Relations.
AFSCME consists of employees from Physical Plant and CMU's
food service.
"The agreement was defeated by an overwhelming majority of 10
to one against," said Leon MacDonald. president of AFSCME.
The Administration's request for another shutdown is a reaction
to last year's unprecedented budget move which closed the University from Jan. 4 to 8 and saved an estimated $56,500 in energy costs.
It is expected this year's shutdown, scheduled for Dec. 22 and 23
and Jan. 3 and 4,1983. will save the same amount as last year. The
savings should help offset a more than $1.5 million callback in state
aid since October 1981.
AFSCME is the third of six campus unions to act on the shutdown
proposal and the only one to refuse to sign it so (ar.
"In the letter of agreement the groups are informed that if they
decide not to accept the terms of the letter they will be laid off
without pay," Stoner said.
Under the letter of agreement, all employees not scheduled to
work during the shutdown period will be required to use accrued
vacation or personal leave with pay or lost time without pay.
Employees who do not have equal adequate vacation time remain
ing may request, through their supervisors, an exception to allow
for a grant of advanced vacation not to exceed four days.
AFSCME refused to accept the shutdown agreement because it
said the University has backed out on an understanding it had with
the unions when it requested last year's shutdown, said Roger
Smith, staff representative for Michigan Council 25 AFSCME.
"We concurred with the University last year and used our vacation time for the shutdown with the understanding this was a one-
(See" AFSCME"—page 13)
Central Michigan LIFE
Vol.64 No. 15
e 19XL" CM LIFE
Mount Pleasant. Mich. 48859
24 pages
Wednesday. Oct. 6.1982
City takes on
party issue
byANNEPERAZZA
LIFE Copy Editor
Solutions to off-campus party problems were kicked around again
at Monday night's Mount Pleasant City Commission work session.
A new angle, enforcement through landlords, was discussed at
the work session, which is a chance for commissioners to have informal discussion.
Disciplinary actions from landlords themselves, however, would
have to be written into the lease agreement. City Attorney William
Shirley said.
"We can't amend that lease with a city ordinance." Shirley said.
Commissioner Gary Knight said. "Your actions are your own. To
attack from a landlord's point of
view isn't fair."
Instead. Knight said the Commission might suggest landlords
make changes in leases.
"Enlist the support of the
landlords." Commissioner Doug
McFarlane Jr. added.
Mayor Tom Weirich added
another suggestion. "If a renter
received a citation, notify
landlords and after three or four
times the landlord should get
one too," he said.
"They're (landlords) responsible for that property." said Joe
      Misiewicz, city commissioner.
Commissioner Benton Bundy also suggested that after repeated
violations, the city revoke or suspend the landlord's housing license.
But a more feasible solution than revoking licenses, McFarlane
said, might be to use repeated violations as grounds for eviction.
(See "Party"—page 13)
"Your actions are
your own. To attack from a landlord's point of
view isn't fair"
— Gary Knight,
Mount       Pleasant
City Commissioner.
A ccrediting
may not
be worth
dollars
by TERRI FINCH
LIFE Ass't News Editor
The value of specialized accreditation may not
outweigh it's time and expense, according to
some University officials.
In light of the continued attempt by the School
of Business Administration to receive accreditation by the American Association of Collegiate
Schools of Business, the Board of Trustees may
question the necessity of putting time and
University funds into gaining such specialized accreditation.
The School of Business is one of Central's most
recent attempts to receive accreditation through
a specialized accreditation association.
Dean Leonard Plachta currently is waiting for
a letter from the AACSB informing him of the
results of the appeal his school made regarding
the association's third denial of the school's accreditation.
Plachta said he expects the AACSB will deny
the accreditation once again, and in a report lo
the Board of Trustees Friday, raised the question
of whether his school should make any future
attempts to gain accreditation from the Missouri
based accreditation firm.
The question was a good one. according to
Trustee  Alfred  Fortino.  who said  at  Friday's
(See "Accreditation"—page 12)
LIGHTS
OUT
Six halls
to lose
power
by WENDY QAGER
LIFE Staff Writer
It will be "lights out" in six campus
buildings in coming weeks as power is
turned off to replace underground electrical lines.
The work will replace an antique
system done in the 1950s and will take
care of problems that they have had in
the last year, said Jim Tryon. electrical
and mechanical project designer.
Rowe, Barnard. Sloan. Grawn, North
and Tate halls will be affected with
Tate Hall having the longest outage —
an eight-hour shutdown, Tryon said.
"If things go as planned we will try
" to give a week's notice of the outages,"
Tryon said.
Most outages will be during the day
with Tate Hall being scheduled for a
Saturday, he said.
"Classes should not be interrupted."
Tryon said. "We are scheduling
outages at the University's convenience," he added.
"This is a necessary thing, and I
think the students will understand,"
said Bob Ringel. director of physical
plant extension.
The students will have to eat that
day in another dorm, Ringel added.
The long-lasting effect for better service will override the inconvenience
because the line could go at any moment and that would take longer to fix,
Ringel said.
(See "Electric"—page 12)
Haggart trial
draws to close
by CHRIS STEVENS
LIFE Staff Writer
MIDLAND- Closing
arguments in the trial of accused
mass-murderer Robert Lee Haggart will be heard here today,
just two days after Haggart's attorney rested his case without
calling any witnesses.
Arguments are expected to
last the duration of the day, with
the I4-member jury possibly
rendering a decision as early as
Thursday afternoon.
Monday. James Wilson, Hag
gart's Midland attorney, surpris
ed everyone who has been
following the four-week trial by
announcing he will not summon
any witnesses on behalf of the
defense.
Earlier in the trial. Wilson
said he had numerous witnesses
lined up to testify for the
defense. However, Wilson decided to rest his case after he con
(See "Haggart"—page 12)
Retirement saves dollars, helps employees
by JANET HASTINGS
LIFE Managing Editor
In a new twist, the Administration has come up with a budget
move which will not only save dollars but can be advantageous to
some employees.
By allowing qualified employees to retire early, the University
can eliminate the number of employees at the top of the pay scale
and employees who no longer wish to work can leave the University
with some security, said R. William Dunham, associate vice provost
of faculty contractual relations.
The early retirement program was enacted by the Administra
tion in the fall of 1981.
Under the program, employees over the age of 55 can retire with
a pension prior to the 62-year-old age limit set by the state.
"Some employees have other interests they would like to pursue," Dunham said. "The early retirement is an incentive for them
to get out and do these things instead of waiting until they are 62."
The early retirement incentive also allows the University to
reduce salary expenditures by replacing senior level employees
with new employees who would begin at the bottom of the pay
scale, Dunham said.
While the program does save the University dollars, Dunham
said, the idea was first born when he was approached by a number
of faculty who were interested in retiring early.
According to the process drawn up by the Administration, those
interested in early retirement can approach the administrative com
mittee for guidance in putting together a proposed retirement plan
which will meet their needs.
The three-member administrative committee consists of Dunham.
Neil VanSyckle. manager of personnel benefits and Jon Darrow!
assistant vice provost for Academic Administration.
"There are no two people at this University in the same
situation —they all have individual needs and worries." VanSyckle
said. "We want to help them build a retirement plan which will allow
them a little bit of flexibility in their retirement years."
Of course. VanSyckle said, the flexibility of the retirement plan
(See "Retirement"—page 16)
In Brief
A representative from* Walt Disney's Magic
Kingdom College Program will be at the Placement Office, Foust 101 today and Thursday.
Those interested should call 774-3068 to set up
an interview.
Campus
A local citizen's
group speaks out
against the city receiving the cable Playboy
Channel.
page 3
Elections for 1982
Homecoming King and
Queen are today and
Thursday.
page 14
Sports
The CMU volleyball
team  won    its    third
home match Tuesday,
defeating EMU.
page 17
Index
Arts and Leisure 6
CaMpUs comic 22
Classifieds 23
Comment 4
Doonesbury   4
Off the Wire 2
Sports 17
Spotlife 23
Weather 22