1995-01-11; Central Michigan Life

              «*©o«5^
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11,1995
ARAMARK selected to take over food services
By JENNIFER ACKERMAN
LIFE Staff Writer
ARAMARK won the battle with Marriott over
CMU's Dining Services — and officals say changes
to the old system are coming, although not overnight.
The corporation, which heralds itself as "the
industry leader" in privately managed food serves,
unanimously was chosen in the last week of December to lead CMITs Dining Services.
"It appeared to me that ARAMARK wanted the
business more. Their proposal was more enticing,"
said Kim Ellertson, vice president for Business and
Finance who was on the four-person committee that
analyzed proposals from both Marriott and ARAMARK. "They were willing to make more of a partnership of it. Not that Marriott wasn't, but ARAMARK was just very energetic and excited."
Although ARAMARK officials already have
claimed offices in Bovee University Center, a final
contract -with the corporation has not been signed.
A temporary contract is expected to be agreed
upon within the next two weeks, however. Ellertson
said the temporary contract, which would extend
until June 30, will require CMU pay $10,000 per
month for the service as well as any reimbursable
expenses, which may not to exceed $90,000.
While the temporary contract is in effect, attorneys for both sides will review the final contract,
which is set to begin after June 30, Ellertson said.
Ellertson said the committee was impressed with
the way ARAMARK proposed many funding and
renovation alternatives leaving CMU with many
options.
"We were afraid it was going to be a real hard
decision and it wasn't," he said. "We thought ARAMARK was the best fit and it was unanimous. We
hardly ever get any unanimous decisions around
here."
According to Paul Hayward, ARAMARK resident
district manager, some changes in the dining commons -will be noticable this week. One example is
the redirection of the traffic flow through the front
doors, rather than side doors, of Carey Dining Commons to make it more convenient for students.
In addition, ARAMARK is making minor set-up
changes such as relocating the salad bars to make
the commons more "customer friendly," Hayward
said.
See ARA Page 8A	
Debate over cost of
privatization rages on
even after its arrival
By JENNIFER ACKERMAN
LIFE Staff Writer
and CINDY TROMBLEY
LIFE Assistant News Editor
As Erin Taylor ate diner Monday in Robinson Hall Dining
Commons, which along with all of
CMU food services now is being
managed by ARAMARK, she said
for her money is the real issue
behind privatization.
"I do like this food plan, but I
want to know how much (a new
plan) will cost," said Taylor, Clinton Township freshman. "It's
really a money issue," she said.
Everyone else seems to agree.
Other students, union officials
and administrators also maintain the great loss or advantage of
privatization is cost.
The administration decided
during semester break to allow
ARAMARK to manage CMITs
Dining Services and Kim Ellertson, vice president for Business
and Finance, said ARAMARK is
"sensitive to the needs" of both
the employees and the students
at CMU.
ARAMARK officials contend
they will be able to give students
the most for their money.
441 think it'd be good
to have a change as
long as it doesn't cause
mass unemployment on
campus. Change is
good as long as it
doesn't hurt a lot of
people. 99
SARA POTTER,
Flint freshman
"Our experience is that we are
able to maximize the students
dollars," said Paul Hayward,
ARMARK resident district manager.
ARAMARK, with its 358 other
exsi sting college accounts, can
tap    into    a   "vast   network   of
See SERVICE Page 9A	
C
HUMBLED
GIANTS
Damon Tolbert, Detroit senior, comforts teammate Robert Hadacz, Utica senior, during the closing
moments of the Las Vegas Bowl. Central Michigan lost to UNLV 52-24. For mora coverage of the game,
t 2B and 3B.
3 students accused of rape leave CMU
Hearings canceled, students maintain innocence
By TODD FETTIG
LIFE Staff Writer
While continuing to maintain
their innocence, three CMU students named as suspects in a
reported October gang rape volunteered to permanently leave
the university and avoid a hearing through Central's Office of
Student Life.
Under the compromise, CMU
officials agreed to cancel three
separate hearings, scheduled for
Jan. 23, that would have determined   whether   the   male   stu
dents violated the university's
code of conduct.
The three CMU students and
four other males visiting campus
were suspects in an alleged gang
rape reported by a 19-year-old
CMU student on Oct. 2.
After investigating the case for
several -weeks, Isabella County
Prosecutor Larry Burdick
cleared the seven men of criminal
charges.
Rae Goldsmith, director of
CMU Public Relations, said the
students' decision to leave the
university equals the harshest
penalty Central could have
handed out — expulsion.
"They volunteered for the
death penalty of university discipline," she said.
And avoiding what was likely
to become heated and expensive
hearings with no guarantee that
a correct decision would be
reached was in the best interests
of all involved parties, Goldsmith
said.
Because disciplinary records
are confidential and exclusive to
each university, the students,
who began negotiating the com
promise -with Central officials
around Thanksgiving, are free to
transfer to other universities
with the incident cleared from
their records.
Bruce Roscoe, interim dean of
Students, approved the compromise in mid-December, Goldsmith said.
But even with the departure of
the three former suspects, Central has not been able to completely shake the aftermath of
the incident.
The Michigan Department of
Civil Rights, which got involved
-with the case after Burdick
decided sexual contact between
See LEAVE Page 2A	
1995-96 budget
calls for lower
tuition/ fee hike
By MARJORY RAYMER
LIFE Editor	
The tuition and fees increase
for the 1995-96 academic year
could plummet to depths not seen
at CMU for almost a decade — if
all the pieces of the university
budget come together.
"We are looking at an increase
For related story,
see inside front page
in the 3 to 4 percent range,"
according to the request for state
appropriations, which is
expected to gain Board of Trustees approval during the regularly scheduled Feb. 17 meeting.
With the current cost per credit
hour set at $85.50, that increase
range would bring CMU's tuition
to between $88 and $89 per credit
hour—a $77.50 to $108.50 yearly
increase for students taking 31
credits.
Last year, the board approved
a 4.7 percent tuition and fee
increase, but from 1988 to 1994
increases averaged 9.7 percent
annually. From 1984-86, a zero
percent tuition and fee increase
was approved followed by a 4.1
and a 5.9 percent increase the
following two years. Prior to
those four years, the increase also
were in the 10 percent range.
However, the request acknowledges that CMU is several
months away from actually setting the 1995-96 tuition rate.
Usually, the board votes to
approve tuition increases during
the summer.
The tuition and fees increase
described in the appropriations
See TUITION Page 14A	
Proposed $34 mi 11 Ion
addition would double
size of Park Library
By SCOTT ANDERSON
LIFE News Editor	
A long overdue renovation to
Park Library could become a
reality, if the state approves a
$34.3 million proposal to more
than double the library's size.
The proposal — which has been
a part of the capital outlay appropriations request for at least six
years — moved to top priority on
Central's state appropriations
requests for construction. If
granted, the expansion would
add 180,000 square feet to the
library.
Thomas Moore, dean of University Libraries, said the proposed
renovations are an "essential"
and have been needed for many
years.
"We have many more materials
than what we can house," Moore
See LIBRARY Page 2A	
tr
1
TOUGH TIMES
FOR HOOPS
CMU MEN'S, WOMEN'S
BASKETBALL COMBINE
FOB 1-7 RECORD OVER
HOLIDAY BREAK
SPORTS page 1 B
1994 MOVIE
DIAGNOSIS:
BAD
cmu film expert
gives thumbs down to
'Gump. * others prom
past year