1982-08-30; Central Michigan Life

              Central Michigan LIFE
Vol.64  No. 1
l!e«2rM LIFE
Mount Pleasant. Mich. 48859
12 pages
Monday. Aug. 30.1982
Optimistic officials
struggle to survive
by SHEILA GRUBER
LIFE Editor
With a coat of optimism for armor, Central administrators are ready to emerge as victors in the
arena of economic survival.
The November election makes this year — the
third in a row of fiscal difficulties — even more
uncertain. President Harold Abel said.
Further  executive  callbacks  to  an  already-
lower-than expected  estimated     	
state appropriation of 5.5 percent are likely.
Students, hit with a total of $7
per hour tuition increases
since 1980. unemployment and
financial aid cuts, are being asked to pick up larger portions of
their education tab across the
state.
Administrators have taken
voluntary wage freezes. Faculty
members last year approved an
8.5 percent pay increase and the
most massive academic
reorganization in University
history.
Even as Gov. William G.
Milliken contemplates an additional cut of $150 million from     	
the state's budget   —   with approximately $32 million coming from education —
administrators remain hopeful.
Steady enrollment, filled-to-capacity residence
halls, recently-acquired funding for a University
Park and the academic reorganization plan are
among the rays of hope for Central administrators this fall.
"I am looked at as a person who should talk
about doom and gloom. But J_ can't let rnjrjnqrale_
go — if there's going to be cuts, fhere's going to
be cuts," said Jerry Tubbs. vice president for
Business and Finance.
If the cuts are made. Abel and Tubbs said they
may suggest running a deficit.
"My inclination is not to lay off or raise tuition,
but come in with a deficit and try to work it out in
the future," Abel said.
A bigger deficit over the long run — possibly
as much as $4 million — may be the best solution,
Tubbs said. "I'm considered very conservative.
This is one of the ways I've changed ... I'd never
"My inclination
is not to lay off or
raise tuition, but
come in with a
deficit and try to
work it out in the
future." - Harold
Abel, CMU president
dreamt of accepting a deficit...."
In the long run, Michigan's economic woes may
boil down to survival of the fittest, said Arthur
Ellis, vice president for Public Affairs. "The question is — who politically determines who survives?"
For Ellis. CMU's legislative liaison, that question is this year's biggest. "Surviving the transition" of almost 100 new state-appointed and
elected officials is a top priority. Ellis said.
  "I know we'll get through it,
but I don't know how. We've
done it before ... it's possible to
get through anything." Ellis
said.
Central's ability to "pull
together" so far will help, Ellis
said.
"It is human nature to feel
(job) insecurity in times like this,
but there is no reason to get
panicky," Tubbs said.
Employees will worry about
layoffs; students will fear tuition
and rate hikes. "It is based on
sensible  facts, not a  phantom.
How do you keep people from
worrying    when    the    airplane
engine goes out?" Abel said.
  Minimizing the effect on people,    while    keeping    the    institution afloat, will be Abel's goal in the coming
months, he said.
The issue, agreed Vice President for Student
Affairs James Hill, is not just survival, but quality survival.
"The major concern is to continue to provide as
many of the quality services as before in innovative ways." Hill said.
While eutsmay affect his division the most. Hill
said the effect'can be mlnfmize-d Through a «*m-~
certed  effort  by   University staff,  faculty and
students.
One cost-saving measure implemented this
summer adds the Placement and Financial Aid offices to Student Affairs. The increase in Hill's
responsibilities is a result of the retirement of
Terrence Carey, vice president for University
Relations and secretary to the Board of Trustees.
Cuts in University Health Services low-use
hours — saving an estimated $25,000 — should
(See "Mood"—page 9A)
S^i»«r-*
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C:> r -.-?»■
^MBaS-
ess Lmtm»m st.
Curb it
Construction of Central's newest roadway - West Campus Drive - is in
full swing as workers place curbs at the south end of the two-lane drive.
The new road, connecting Vernon Drive with Broomfield Road, is tentatively
slated for an Oct. 1 completion. See related story, page B-8.
by SANDY McHUQH
UFE Notts Editor
Patience is wearing thin at
CMU regarding the. Qhi©
Board of Regents, and Central
officials have adopted a fidgety "wait and see" attitcde.
Central has two matter*
with the higher education
authority of Ohio—one stemming from a refusal of the
board to grant Central the
right to offer classes through
the Institute for Personal and
Career Development, and the
secoed because CMU official*
bajfcnre the board is
«rtl»Umv!ersitar**
Ma^M^a«ao|r VPC&
Blaster of arts
both aides and make a reeom-
meiedatSon to ;the. board.
Bowever.thei^iueatbyCetv
tral was postponed fire times,
winch led Central to file a
. lawsuit against the board
claiming the Board wasinSr-
* wjttokg on CMU> freedom of.
(See "n»Crr-pa** 11A)
/PCD caters
\ •     -   ■       I '. ■;"*■,'-       '■" ■ *       :'„    ' '
to unique
CHALLENGE:
by JANET HASTINGS
LIFE Managing Editor
Pepsi-Cola Co. sacrificed the hope of any profit in order to capture
CMU's soft drink vendor contract from the Coca-Cola Co. this summer.
The three-year contract, which went into effect July 1, states Central will receive 36.5 percent of total Pepsi-product sales in
residence halls and academic buildings.
The University's previous contract with the Coca-Cola Bottling
Co. of Mount Pleasant was for 28.4 percent of the company's CMU
sales.
Coke, the only other competitor in this year's bidding, offered 14
percent of its total sales, said Ervin McDonald, director of purchasing.
While it costs 50 cents for a can of pop from a vending machine,
the sale price of pop is actually 40 cents. The additional 10 cents is
for a deposit on the can.
The state requires CMU to put the vending contract up for bid
every three years.
For the past 20 years. Coke has produced the best offer and kept
the contract, said Doug Yost, sales manager for Coca Cola Bottling
Company of Mount Pleasant. 210 W. Pickard.
"There is no way Coke could have made a bid which would have
been competitive with this year's Pepsi bid and still maintained a
profit." Yost said. "We sat down and came up with the most feasible offer which would allow both us and CMU to make a profit. Unfortunately, someone else came up with a better offer."
John Fisher, director of Business Operations for Residence Halls
and Auxiliary Services and member of the committee which received the bids, said he is surprised at the percentage of sales Pepsi is
willing to share with the University.
While Pepsi has always bid against Coke for the contract, its offers were never as substantial as Coke's, Fisher said.
Prior to 1980, the closest Pepsi distributor Was in Saginaw and
the cost of traveling to CMU made it impossible for Pepsi to beat
Coke's bids, said Dan Weaver, area sales representative for Pepsi.
(See "Vendor"—page 11A>
Pepsi takes loss to win
Central vendor  contract
In Brief
Verification of enrollment cards will be
available this week in the University Center
Ballroom from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Campus
Students who were
counting on
Guaranteed Student
Loans to pay their expenses may find
themselves in a financial bind.
page3A
Students and area
residents react to the
long - awaited construction of West Campus Drive.
page8B
Sports
CMU's sports program has "pride" in its
new motto.
page1C
Index
Arts and Leisure 6B
Comment 4B
Doonesbury 4B
Off the Wire 2B
Sports 1C
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