1976-11-19; Central Michigan Life

              f.
tate report
called favorable
by STEVE SPALDING
LIFE Ass't. News Editor
A state, task force report on
money-saving * proposals was
favorable to CMU, President
'Harold Abel told the Board of
Trustees Wednesday, However,
Abel criticized specific items in the
report.
The Michigan Efficiency Task
Force report, released last week,
recommended seven money saving
'proposals for Central. The task,
•force was appointed in 1975 by
Gov. William.. G, iMiiliken to
examine budget-tightening
methods in all areas of government, including higher education.
"Central is reported to be the
best-managed school in the state,"
Abel said. "The questions
(recommendations of the task
force) are of a minor nature
compared to other schools in the
state."
Despite the seven recommendations, the task force praised
•CMU's overall system. "Budget
variances are reported monthly
and the overall system appears to
Work effectively. A Personnel
Policies  Committee   reviews   the
■ needs for filling any vacancy—a
procedure which should be implemented at other schools,*1 the
report said.
* The seven money-saving
"proposals   the   report  suggested
■ CMU should implement include:
'; —reducing the custodial staff
la dormitories
—increasing   the    internal
auditing staff
'- —establishing a nonrefundable application fee
y —revising the short-term
Student loan program
v —improving collection
'procedures for delinquent student
accounts
—selling   excess    University
land    *
—increasing   the   University
Health*        Service        medical
examination fee
Abel criticized establishing «
non-returnable application fee and
selling University land, saying the,
proposals may save money but'
could cause other problem*.
Although Abel said
establishing an application fee will
be considered, he said he saw "no
efficiency in charging a fee."
Central is one of two
universities in the state not
charging a fee for admissions
applications. "Establishing a non*„
refundable charge of $10 would
offset costs and provide an annual
income of approximately $109,000,"
the report stated.
"Many students would not be
here if we didn't have free applications," Abel said. "We try to
have few barriers in applying."
Abel also criticized the<
report's recommendation of selling
the 397 - nonimproved acres of
University land.
Because of the possible expansion of the CMU campus in the
future and appreciation of the land
values, Abel urged the Board to
"consider the implications of
selling the land."
The report suggested selling
the land because projections indicate a decline in student
enrollment through the 1986 fiscal
year, after a slight rise in
enrollment in fiscal year 1978,
"The existing University plant
and improved campus site should
be more than adequate to accommodate projected needs," the
report stated. "A plan should be
developed by the University to
divest itself of the 397 unimproved
acres—either immediately or once
the question of a highway is settled
(See related story this page). The
one-time cash flow would amount
to at least .$715,000," the report
said.
"The task force is not
cognizant of the situation in land,"
Trustee   Alfred   Fortino   com
mented, while Abel said, "It is a
rule of thumb that you do not sell
university lend."
Student input was requested
by Abel on the possible revision of
the short-term student loan
program.
Central's   short   Jterm   loan
program  permits students  to
-borrow up  to $20  for 30 days
without interest.
"Many students on financial
aid are convinced the loan program
is a good thing," Abel ■aid,
however Trustee James Umphrey
•aid he was "concerned about being
in the short-term loan business."
Abel also said the examination
fee for consultation visits to the
Health Center should be kept low.
"Let's not discourage students
from getting medical help,"
However, Abel said raising the
examination fee to $5 as proposed
by the task force is under study.
,     . .      „ . . CM LIPS PHOTO »V JOHM THOMPSON
REPORT DISCUSSED-ln the last Board of Trustees meeting of the year, President Harold Abel gave his
opinions on the recent recommendations of Michigan Efficiency Task Force Report, which listed seven
recommendations on how CMU could save money. Seated to Abel's left is Provost John Cantelon and
Trustee Alfred Fortino,
filial
fttlch
Friclqy, November 19, 1976
Friday, November 12, 1976    ^
Trustees consider road
Open meetings discussed
by PAM KLEIN
LIFE News Editor
Central's Board of Trustees
will begin to comply with the
recently adopted Michigan open
meetings law at its January
meeting.
The Board Wednesday
adopted a resolution permitting
persons to address Trustees after
conclusion of the regular busfness
meeting.. However, the Board
requested "strategy and
negotiating sessions connected with
the negotiating of collective
bargaining agreements to be in
closed sessions."
President Harold Abel said the
Board had expressed a desire to
"The idea is they (the city) can submit with the
grant a commitment from the University to build
the road"—J. David Kerr, University counsel.
Its formal YSA stand
by HOLLY HAYES
LIFE Managing Editor
CMU administrators Thursday
issued a formal statement
reiterating previous stands on the
controversy surrounding the
recent arrest of three Young
Socialist Alliance (YSA) members.
'■ The three were arrested while
selling literature without
University permission outside
Warriner Auditorium during the
Oct. 20 Daniel Schorr speech.
." Controversy has arisen on
campus over the issue, vwith the
administration claiming the right
to control occurances in University
buildings and supporters of the
YSA members claiming the issue is
one of free speech.
According to Dean of Students
James Hill, "The rule (making it
mandatory to receive permission to
sell any items in University
buildings) had been explained to
them on several occasions, but they
refused to make even a minimal
effort to cooperate with University
procedures." v
President Harold Abel was
presented with petitions
demanding charges against the
three YSA members be dropped at
•it informal question and answer
session Tuesday. In addition, other,
petitions have been circulated on
campus by various other groups
also demanding the tresspassing
charges be dropped by the
University.
Abel has said he is "disturbed"
by the fact that faculty members
may see this as a matter of free
speech. "With respect to the individuals involved, I do not believe
that is the issue," he said.
.Of the petitions, Abel said,
"Reading the preamble to the
petition, I am lead to believe that
the facts were filtered by the
drafters. If I were a faculty
member presented with that
statement, I would sign it too."
J. David Kerr, University
counsel said, "The University does
have the legal right to control the
interior of campus buildings. The
University reserves the right to
prohibit the sale of some items."
In addition, Kerr said, the
University is interested "only in
placing reasonable control on time,
place, and manner of sate. After
telephone discussions with one of
the individuals involved, I can only
conclude that those who were
arrested do not agree that the
University has the right."
In a similar case last fall, the
University had brought suit for
declaratory judgement against
Gary Davies, at that time president
of YSA at Central. Davies had been
selling newspapers in the Univ-
srsity Center, also without permission.
"After he was served with the
suit we met with the American
Civil Liberties Union and with Mr,
Davies," Kerr said. "We explained
that we wanted (him) to follow the
University's rule requiring permission to sell on campus.
Following the conference, Davies
applied for ahd received permission
to sell."
Regarding this year's YSA
issue, Kerr said, "Their repeated
refusal leads me to the impression
that they wish to test the rule
rather than comply."
The three YSA members
involved in the case are Jim
Garrison, Tom Smith aand Brigid
Douglas, all of Detroit. They have
pleaded not guilty and requested a
jury trial in Isabella County
District Court. A pre-trial hearing
has not been set.
open its meetings as soon as
possible, even though the
legislation does not go into effect
until April.
Presently, Trustees conduct
regularly scheduled public:
meetings but also conduct informal!
private sessions prior to the public
sessions. Under the new
legislation, those private sessions
will be eliminated.
Under the law, Trustees also
will have to include executive
sessions—private meetings dealing
with legally confidential topics—
withifr the confines of* the
scheduled meeting. Presently, the
Board goes into executive session
in the morning of meeting days.
However, Trustees may move
into executive sessions on selected
subjects listed in the law. These
subjects include employe or
student discipline, labor
negotiations, an option to purchase
property, material excepted by
other state or federal laws, a
pending lawsuit against any public
body or an application for employment from an applicant who
wishes to remain confidential.
In other action, Trustees
adopted a resolution, to support the
city of Mt. Pleasant in its attempt
to obtain funds from the Economic
Development Administration
(EDAj for the, construction of a
road west of campus. •
The city currently is preparing
grant applications for four other
projects besides the highway,
including    water   system    im
provements, street improvements,
construction of a Public Works
Division building and airport
improvements.
The EDA is offering $157
million for public works projects in
Michigan and Mt. Pleasant is
competing with other Michigan
communities with unemployment
fates below the national average
for $47 million in federal money,
The other $110 million is slated for
cities, with unemployment rates
above the national average.
The resolution adopted by the
Board States the'University will
provide an easement for' construction of the road on the west of
campus, provided the city obtains
the funds from the EDA. The
resolution further states the road
must be built within five years of
funding receipt.
"This doesn't mean ithe road
will be built." J. David Kerr,
University counsel, said. "It simply
means the city will ask for the
money and if they're lucky they'll
get it.
"The idea is they can submit
with the grant a commitment from
the University to build the road,"
Kerr added.
The road, if constructed,
would run between Broomfield
Road and Preston Street, While
the exact location has not been
determined, Kerr said preliminary
plans call for the road to run west
of the Towers to Preston Road near
the Gerald Poor Schoolhouse. *
Arthur Ellis, vice president for
public affairs, said the road would
take traffic off South Washington
Street, the only north-south route
through town other than Mission
Street.
"With the tremendous
pedestrian traffic (on South
Washington Street) we've been
blessed by good fortune that no one
has been hurt," Ellis said.
"This would be a windfall to
the University," he added. "It (the
road) would be built without a
penny of our own money because
we own the right of way."
Also at-Wednesday's meeting.
Trustees established the Central
Michigan University Memorial
Fund, designed to receive gifts to
the University for memorials.
,p According to criteria, of the
fund, when a memorial or gift is
$1,000 or more, that money may be
used to establish a short-term loan
fund named after any person.
When the memorial is $2,500 or
more, it may be used to establish a
long-term fund or endowed
scholarship.
Terrance Carey, vice
president for University relations,
said the fund will allow the
University to receive gifts immediately for tax purposes.
In other action Wednesday,
Trustees:
—Elected officers for the 1977
year. Serving as chairperson of the.
Board will be Trustee Alfred
Fortino, while Trustee Leo Farhat
will serve as vice chairperson.
Carey will continue serving as
.secretary to the Board while Ellis
will remain as treasurer.
—accepted gifts for the month
of October totaling $140,747.50.
—Accepted 11 retirement
(See "Open ..." page 2)
SA slates elections
Ballot proposals explained
B-BALL WARM-VPSmior basketball player
Ben Poqutte practices for the upcoming'season.
See photos page 11.
• Commission debates development
plans—page 3
• AWS slats  election* Monday,
Tuesday—page 3
• Football team closes season against
WMU-paga 10
Editor's Note: This is the second of
two articles explaining tke 23
proposed Student Association
constitutional revisions, to be
voted on in Monday and Tuesday's
campus-wide election.
by JIM FISHER
CM LIFE Reporter
Among the proposed revisions
■ to the Student Association (SA)
' constitution appearing on the ballot
in   the   campus-wide   election
, Monday and Tuesday! is a section
■ which  Would require SA  board
members to volunteer for at least.
two   Association    duties    per
semester. <
' The revision, one of 23 which
have been approved for the ballot
by the SA Board of Directors,
defines Association duties as
committee work, working at
election balloting stations or other
activities formed by the Board.
Another proposed section
pertains to absence of Board
members from Board meetings.
The revision would limit Board
members to no more than three
unexcused absences during the
academic year, with excused absences being defined as illness,
4eath  in  the  family  or  other
unusual circumstances. Under the
present ,S A constitution there is no
clause concerning absences of
Board members at Board meetings.
In addition to the above
revision, failure of any Board
member to notify the SA president
before absence from a Board
meeting, regardless of the reason
for absence, may result' in
automatic termination of position,
if the revision is approved by
voters.
A proposed section dealing
with SA Board of Directors
membership would'require each
student organization to designate
one individual as a representative
and . another as alternate
representative.
A rotated revision outlines
procedures to be follpwed in the
event of a recall of a Board
member.
The section states recall may
be initiated by petition, provided it
is signed by eight Association
members. Under the present
constitution, initiation of recall
procedures requires signatures ol
2 per cent of, the Association
■ membership.
In   the   case   of   recall,   a
proposed revision would allow the
previously designated alternate to
assume the responsibilities of the
recalled Board member until an
election takes place to fill the seat.
A revision to the SA funding
procedures included delegating the
dean of students the power to veto
individual expenditures which
would violate local ordinances of
the laws and policies of the State.
\ The revision would subject
Finance and Grievance Committee
allocations to the approval of the
dean. The present constitution
states approval of allocations shall
be required of "a previously
designated agent of the Board of
,J Trustees."
A revision is proposed to
allow, when necessary, a mid-year
election in addition to the* annual
fall election of freshmen at-large
representatives and the spring,
election.
If approved, the mid-year
election could contain such items as
candidates for vacant at-large
Board seat* and proposed constitutional amendments.
the same section allows for a
fourth election to be conducted
only in the" case the president or
vice president is removed from
office, resigns or'is unable to serve.
A proposed revision would
lower the percentage of student
electorate voters needed to approve revisions or amendments
from 10 per cent to 8 per cent.
Constitutional revisions or
amendments still will require a
majority of aU votes cast to be
approved under the proposed
revision.
Candidate
interviews
featured
Interviews with the six
candidates for student body vice
president are featured on page 5 of
today's CM UFE,  *
Voting takes place Monday
and Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m,
and 4 to 4 p.m. outside dorm
cafeterias and in the lower level of
the University Center. Also up for
election is a senior at-large
representative seat and 23 Student
Association constitutional revisions*:
0.       fl '
B^...p->HaU..ai««><»aJ)aVr^->- -,'■
Mj|||jjtNH
t *■•**■**• $m*4ttm*- itt^r*^-JH^"Me' *'
'■ ^tt'
tt^mm^miMmi-iat^at^Mimii  ft    ""t* vin'ilA if'  " tui.^« ■ -*
•**« -*^*W»«*|f*1 V- V'
* „* _.'-'j\ "...< ;■   y ."■  .*■'_*■   '-■•;'■  ■** ■*    *-*■»' *■■*• •■ic^--*--* ■