1982-03-26; Central Michigan Life

              Central Michigan LIFE
Vol. 63 No. 69
19-2 CM LIFE
Mount Pleasant. Mich. 48859
12 pages
Friday, March 26.1982
Fired professor loses arbitration case
by KIM CLARKE
LIFE Editor
An arbitrator has upheld the
firing of a CMU professor, a decision some University personnel
say is the first time a tenured
faculty member has been terminated here.
Peh-Yun Wen, former assistant professor of geography,
was fired Oct. 23. 1980 by Provost John Cantelon for "an.extensive pattern of deficiency."
Wen then filed a grievance
through the Faculty Association
and took the matter through an
arbitration process. The hearings took place from April to
September of last year.
The affirmative decision for
Central comes after years of attempts by the Geography
Department to rehabilitate Wen
as an instructor, including giv-
Peh-Yun Wen
ing him non-teaching
assignments, offering
counseling and developing a
year-long "improvement program" for him.
Wen. 54, said Wednesday the
"case is not closed" and he may
take further action. He would
not elaborate.
"I'm not ready to comment, so
that is all I can say." Wen said.
Currently the Michigan
Department of Civil Rights is investigating a complaint filed by
Wen, according to investigator
Mike Ma her. Wen, who filed the
complaint in April 1981. is claiming he was discharged on the
basis of his national origin. He is
a native of China.
Ma her said no final action has
been taken on Wen's complaint.
The case has been suspended
somewhat pending the outcome
of the arbitration, Maher said,
adding Wen has provided the
department with a copy of the
decision.
Working with the department
on the complaint is the Federal
Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission, a department
spokeswoman said.
University Counsel J. David
Kerr said Thursday it is rare a
tenured professor is terminated.
Prior to the hearings, the
University offered the professor
a settlement, Kerr said, declining to name the instructor involved. Although he would not
elaborate on the settlement,
Kerr said there were several options made available.
"We had a lot of options
available to us so there would
not be such an ultimate and final
decision as this arbitration case
is," he said.
Cantelon said he has not seen
a copy of the decision, and Kerr
was to be the focal point of any
comment on the matter.
Lyle Langschwager, associate
(See "Wen"—page 11)
CMirt/Mark HSa—.
Chain chair
There wasn't a vacant bench in sight Tuesday afternoon outside Park Library so
Frederick Phelps, professor of physics, made himself comfortable on the chain of a fence
while waiting for a ride home from his son.
Prof's problems
spanned years
by KIM CLARKE
LIFE Editor
The University's problems with former professor Peh-Yun Wen
began prior to his receiving tenure, were interspersed with attempts to aid him as a teacher, and ended with an arbitrator
upholding Central's firing of him.
Arbitrator Elaine Frost said in her decision Wen's automatic
receiving of tenure based on length of employment "caused a problem ... throughout the period of his employment." Wen was terminated Oct. 23.1980. after being hired in 1965.
One year before being tenured as a professor in the Geography
Department. Wen had communication problems with students.
Frost's decision states. At that time, 1970, he was recommended to
have his non-tenure status extended for the academic years 1971-72
and 1972-73. In the recommendation, acting department chairman
(See "Problems"—page 2)
Central to
press IPCD
lawsuit
by SANDY McHUGH
LIFE Ass't. News Editor
With a lawsuit looming, the
Ohio Board of Regents has asked
Central to cooperate with two
consultants to put procedural
wheels -for an administrative
hearing in motion again.
But President Harold Abel
has put up a stop sign.
The request was in the form of
a letter written to Abel by
Chancellor Edward Q. Moulton
asking Abel to send faculty and
administrators to Ohio to assist
two consultants in examining
sites for Central to offer classes.
But Abel said he will not
cooperate   with   Moulton's   re
quest, and instead will focus his
attention on a lawsuit CMU filed
against the Board.
The lawsuit deals with
whether or not an Ohio statute
stating the Board has the right
to regulate all institutions offering classes in Ohio—whether the
institution is* an Ohio i_stitntiori
or not — is constitutional.
CMU is concerned with the
statute because in July the
Board refused Central's request
for a certificate of authorization
to offer a master of arts management and supervision degree in
Columbus and Cleveland.
The classes would be offered
through   CMU's   Institute   for
(See "IPCD"—page 7)
Closing saves
CMU dollars
by JANET HASTINGS
LIFE Managing Editor
The $56,500 net savings resulting from the University's week-
long shutdown in January has prompted the administration to
undertake the project again in 1983.
In a meeting with campus union leaders, Jerry Tubbs, vice president for Business and Finance, announced the University would be
entering into negotiations with the unions this Spring to once again
close the University for an extra week during Winter Break. The
agreement would be the same as the one reached this winter, Tubbs
Said- <S« "Shutdown"-^ 7)
School hush-hushes consolidation plans
bySCOTTFOSGARD
LIFE Staff Writer
Plans to condense the School of Business Administration's departments will not be made
public until business faculty members see them.
A task force, appointed by the dean of the
school to look at possibilities, came up with some
definite plans Wednesday and those plans should
be circulated among faculty today.
Appointed last October, the task force has until
April  1   to  make  a  recommendation  to Dean
Leonard Plachta.
Earlier this week. Plachta said the deadline
may not be met and task force member Ed Grant,
chairman of the Accounting Department, admitted the task force was a week behind schedule.
"The report from the committee will be
presented to the faculty either Friday or Monday." said task force member Marcella Kocar.
associate professor of business education and administrative services. "That's as much as I care to
say. It doesn't seem fair to indicate until the faculty has had an opportunity to see them."
Robert Croll, professor of management and
task force member, said the task force has agreed
not to talk to the press and Croll will not comment until Plachta sees the final recommendation. However, Plachta said he would not mind if
details of various proposals were made public
before he sees them.
Task force member Ken McCleary, associate
professor of marketing and hospitality services,
did not attend the meeting but when told about
the agreed silence, said it was done "probably to
give the faculty a chance to see it first."
Although some members said they would not
talk until the final model went to ihe dean. McCleary said more members were refusing to comment because of their obligations to fellow faculty
members.
Neil Story, associate professor of business, law
and regulation, said the committee had agreed
"as individuals and as a committee not to talk
simply as a matter of courtesy to the dean. He
ought to be the first one to see it"
The motive to keep quiet for the facility's sake
(See "School"—page 5)
In Brief
Congressman Don Albosta's Congressional
Staff Liaison will be at the Isabella County
Building:, 200 N. Main St., April 21 from 1 to 2
p.m.
Campus
The financial aid
situation for students
looks gloomier than
ever.-
page 3
Running authority.
Dr. George Sheehan,
speaks out on the
health advantages of
running.
page 6
Sports
The Mount Pleasant
Oilers were denied
their second straight
trip to the state finals
when they were derailed by Menominee,
page 8
Index
Arts and Leisure 6
Classifieds n
Comment 4
Doonesbury 4
Off the Wire 2
Sports s
Spotlife h
V»