1977-02-11; Central Michigan Life

              J
Volume 58 No. 55
Mt. Pleasant, Mich. 48859
Friday, February 11,1977
A drops demand
:o bargain policy
by PAM KLEIN
LIFE News Editor
The Faculty Association (FA)
jtoard of Directors voted
Wednesday to drop demands to
bargain changes in the
[Jniversity Calendar due to an
jnergy emergency.
FA President Ronald
Johnstone said he would send a
fetter to John Weatherford,
emporary assistant provost for
acuity contractual relations,
forming him of the. Board's
decision. Exact contents of the
fetter were not available.
"To pursue or push the issue
a confrontation is not worth
trouble \ for everyone,"
Johnstone said. He added the
lossibility of filing an unfair
ibor practice charge or a
Dntract grievance was not
liscussed by FA Board  mem-
ers.
"Neither
of    those    were
proposed as an appropriate
response," Johnstone said. "In
fact, the matter never was
brought up at all." *
Both President Harold Abel
and Weatherford said they were
pleased with the FA's decision.
"I'm pleased to learn that the
Faculty Association has decided
not to pursue the matters raised .
in connection with CMU's
emergency energy plan," Able
said. Weatherford added the
FA's position was "reasonable
under the circumstances and an
example of how we can get along
together."
Disagreement between the
University administration and
the FA arose following Abel's
announcement that a contingency plan to close the
University in event of an energy
emergency was being formulated.
The plan would have changed
>■#
_'*#!* "j/.
the dates of Central's spring
break to close CMU for
miximum energy savings.
The FA had charged implementation of the plan would
have changed conditions of
employment and therefore was
bargainable under Article 36 of
its contract. That clause
provides for- negotiations on
"unforseen substantial changes
in working conditions" not
anticipated at the original time
of bargaining.
However, the University had
said the FA's position was er-
boneous and refused to bargain
the issue. At that point Johnstone said the FA's options were
either to drop the issue or file
some type of complaint.
Even though the Board voted
to drop its demands, Johnstone
said he believed the FA's
position was correct.
"I still don't believe the
process initiated by the administration was the proper
one," he said. "We felt we were
obliged to respond as we did
because we are the legitimate
representatives of the faculty
when conditions of employment
are at issue."
Displaying her talent during tryouts for CMU Orchesis Dance Theatre last week in Rose 127 is Cindy
Byrne, Hale sophomore. The group is planning for its spring dance in April, during which Company
Two and Three will perform (LIFE photo by Kirk Deatrick).
25 attend 'rap session'
Hill, students discuss issues
Dean of Students James Hill answered questions during
Thursday's "rap session" conducted in the University Center
Ballroom. Topics discussed included the proposed ice arena,
facilities for the handicapped, energy crises and various housing
policies (LIFE photo by Brad Drewyor),
byJOHNGROGAN
and
JANELLJOHNSON
CM LIFE Reporters
Students and faculty members voiced concern over the use
of University funds to build an
ice arena at Central during an
informal rap session Thursday
with James Hill, dean of
students.
One issue discussed was
whether or not the University
could afford to build and
maintain an ice arena.
' Hill told the audience of about
25« people that the arena would
generate funds rather than
deplete them. "The hockey
arena is going to be self-
supporting and self-liquidating.
A Board assigns
ampus study groups
by JIM FISHER
CM LIFE Reporter
Campus parking and
Jniversity growth are subjects
" research to be conducted by
to subcommittees formed at
'ednesday's Student
Association (SA) Board of
pirectors meeting.
The subcommittees,
lesignated by Student Body,
[resident Mike Fraser, were
Jesigned to obtain facts about
She two areas for possible future
Jecommendations by the Board.
Each subcommittee is corn-
Ned of four Board members,
Ho will research the subject
nrough specific areas of em-
pis. The subcommittees were
liven no deadline to present the
Jesuits of their research. <
Chosen by Fraser to head the
3arking   on    Campus    Subcommittee   was   Tom   Dewey,
Carried    Students    Council
representative.   Cheryl   Johnson, Residence Hall Assembly
pHA)   representative,    was
Selected as chairperson of the
Jniversity   4 Growth     Subcommittee.
Other members of the parking
|uocornmittee are Adam Garcia,
freshman at-large Board
representative; Marc Berkley,
Program Board representative;
and Laura Sias, Association for
Women Students representative.
Other members of the
University Growth Subcommittee are Kim Benac,
senior at-large representative;
Cheryl Ritter, Panhellenic
Council representative; and
Dave Wheeler, Vet's Club
representative.    < (
"It is the job jof the chairperson to organize and divide
the workload between committee members so we^can look
into these major concerns,"
Fraser, Lansing senior, said.
"Hopefully, we can come up
with ideas that may not help us
directly, but that we could work
toward possible answers as a
group," Fraser added.
Fraser said the subcommittee
on parking was formed because
students have been unhappy
about the campus parking
situation for a long time.,
"Everywhere I go, people are
complaining about parking
problems, such as not enough
places to park and the high
prices of permits and parking
tickets," Fraser said. "It is
advantageous for us to find out
if there is a need for more
parking space, if the present
space could be better used and
where the money goes."
Regarding University growth,
Fraser said he is concerned
about overcrowded dormitory
rooms and classrooms.
"The majority of the research
work will be done through RHA
and the residence halls, and I
know of no one with more exposure in these areas than
Cheryl Johnston," Fraser said.
Once the research is completed and the facts have been
presented to the Board, Fraser
said any resulting recommendations will be made
directly to President Harold
Abel.
"If we make a recommendation that is rejected we'll
take appropriate action to make
sure our voices are heard,"
Fraser said. "In most cases, I
think we're more of a credible
source than the administration,
when it comes to the student
body. Students will listen to us "
It must support itself," he said.
Mike McCarthy, Mt. Pleasant
senior, questioned whether the
$200,000 could be put to better
use, such as providing easy
access for the handicapped to
University buildings.
Hill declined to make an
immediate response but agreed
to meet with McCarthy to
formulate a reccommendation to
present to President Harold
Abel.
Another issue of concern,
voiced by Wilbert Wright,
professor of counseling, centered on the potential violence
in ice sports.
"We're talking about bringing
an activity on campus which is
seemingly violent both in rules
and practice," Wright said.
Hill said the main function of
the arena would be academic
rather than competitive, adding,
"I think there is less violence in
college hockey than in
professional."
Other questions raised by
McCarthy concern the handicapped transportation service
and the discontinuing of
elevator service during electrical crises.
He suggested special
education students could
.Operate the bus service, prac-
tially fulfilling a 40-hour work
requirement. The service
presently is run on a volunteer
basis.
Hill agreed: "With more input
it could probably run a lot
better."
McCarthy also complained
that during an electrical crisis
early this semester, elevators
were shut down while the
University Center bowling alley
and vending machines remained
in operation. He questioned the
University's priorities.
"I would say there was
probably an oversight on
recognizing that there were
people on floors who couldn't get
off without an elevator," Hill
.. answered.
Marc Berkley, chairperson of
Program Board, asked Hill
about the feasibility of a mandatory student activity fee.
Steve Thrudeau, Student
Association vice-president,
pursued the question, citing a
suggested $5 per student fee
which could be used for free
lectures and movies as well as
other student activity groups.
"I'm not totally opposed to it,"
Hill said. "If you can convince
me the whole student body is in
favor of the fee, I will take it into
consideration."
Cindy Parks, DeWitt junior,
asked if the University will be
closed because of the energy
shortage.
Hill was optimistic it would
remain open, although he said
alternate measures are being
planned.
"It's sort of a wait and see
situation," Hill said. "There are
no plans to shut down the
University now."
Two alternatives he
suggested in case of an energy
shortage include an early spring
recess and increasing break
from.one week to two.
inside.
— Groups submit funding requests—page 3
— Cagers dump Ball
State—page 8
CMU seeks architect
for detailed arena data
byJIMREINDL
LIFE Ass't News Editor
CMU is "scrambling" to find an architect to
provide technical data for a proposed ice arena
here, Arthur Ellis, vice president for public affairs, said Wednesday.
The data is necessary to complete a use and
finance statement required by the state
legislature's Joint Capital Outlay Committee for
planning approval of projects funded through
bond sales. Administrators have said CMU will
sell bonds to finance an arena's construction.
The scramble is on, Ellis said, to find an architect to recommend to the Board of Trustees at
its meeting "Wednesday. Ellis said a committee
would search for an architect other than
University Architect Anthony Paparella to
assure impartiality.
"Everybody is going to, be asking the energy
question," Ellis said. "(We) don't want to do it
internally."
President Harold Abel must approve the
committee's recommendation before it goes to
the Board, Ellis Said, If the Board approves the
"recommendation Wednesday, Ellis said the use
and finance statement could be finished in three
weeks.
Although the statement has not been filed in
Lansing yet, Ellis is confident the committee will
approve CMU's planning request.
"I'm relaxed, others are concerned," he said. "If
I want the use and finance statement through, I'll
sit down with the chairman of the committee and
that's how it'll get done."
Ellis said it is essential lie talk to the committee chairperson to insure the University's
request does not get mired at the bottom of the
Joint Capital Outlay Committee's heavy
workload. _
Because he is confident the legislature will
approve the planning request, Ellis said it would
be possible.to plan and design an arena while
awaiting the committee's decision. He said the
University would run a deficit account to do this.
Should the capital outlay committee reject the
University's request after planning and design
work had begun, CMU Would be forced to absorb
the costs already incurred in the deficit account,