1975-02-28; Central Michigan Life

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Depression on recession?
Profs express views on stumping economy
byPATCURLEY
CM LIFE Reporter
Everyone knows the United States has economic problems. But just
how bad is it? Are We in a depression or recession?
Robert F. Severson Jr., chairman of the Economics Department sees it
as "somewhere in between. An awful lot of people see it as a depression. It's
like the old story, when the guy next door loses his job it's a recession! When
I lose my job it's a depression."
John H. Dinse, assistant professor of political science, views it in the
same light. "It's a depression in Michigan, but things aren't as bad as in the
30s." I
G. Jeffrey Barbour, assistant professor of economics, sees no real difference between  a  depression  and  a  recession.  "Politicians  make  up •
definitions. They invented the word recession," he said.
Joseph J, Lawrence, assistant professor of sociology and anthropolgy,
agrees it's "a matter of definition, but it's more of a depression because of the
serious^ situation."
VIEWING THEU.S. problem as a recession, Avon M. Dreyer, professor
of enonomics, doesn't object to President Gerald R. Ford's deficit spending.
However, he does object to spending money when it gets no return. "We are
buying too little in return for social-economic improvements," he said. ,
Dreyer believes an effort should be made toward tax reforms he says
are "sadly needed."
"... An awful lot of people see it as a depression. It's
li(€e the old story, when the guy next door loses his
j'pb it's a recession. When I lose my job it's a
depression"— Robert F. Severson Jr., chairman of the
Department of Economics            '
"The President is now giving money to existing institutions. He could
remove the sales tax,". Drpyer said. f
Lawrence agrees with Dreyer and believes tax reforms are "absolutely
necessary. Our tax system is actually regressive not progressive. But tax
reforms with this administration don't have a prayer," he said.
Dinse believes in tax reform but says, "It's a lot more complicated than
people think. Rich people buy school bonds, sewer bonds, etc., and if they are
taxed heavier they won't buy bonds. This would have a big impact but could
be dealt with," Dinse said,,
Severson supports tax reforms but says Ford is trying to deaH w,ith
short-run problems. "We need to accomplish a long-run reallocation of
resources," he said. "For example, the automobile of today is more.energy-
consuming than that of yesteryear. We must reconsider this."
SEVERSON THINKS fuel "could be our fundamental problem. We may
be at the breaking point. We may have to look for a new fuel resource."
"It's a'mistake to blame our economic problems on oil," Dinse said.
"There are serious flaws in our capitalistic system! What we need is
Volume 55 No. 62
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Friday, February 28, 19?5
democratic planning of the economy."
' However, solutions to our economic problems are not easy to find, according to Severson. "We now-have inflation with unemployment—this
hasn't happened before, This causes different problems not easily solved," he
said,
Barbour agrees high prices and high unemployment cause special
problems. "It's not consistent with our economy," he said.
, However,. Barbour thinks the President and Gov. William G, Milliken
could be doing more on the national and state level. "They both are trying tb
help but don't want to hurt the average Republican voter,"
"Ford's protecting the rich and the middle and lower income people are
paying the tab," Lawrence said. "Twenty per cent of the worke'rs in the U.S.
don't have adequate incomes. If they did, they could buy adequate food,
education, housing and clothing. This, of course, would help the economy."
"WHAT MR. FORD is doing is definitely not going tojielp Michigan,"
Barbour said. "Michigan is a state tied to fuel-related products. If fuel goes
up, it's going to hurt Michigan,"
"The President could be investigating! big corporations like the oil
companies and perhaps initiating more anti-trust laws. If prices go up and
wages don't, somebody gets the excess money and it's usually the big corporations," Barbour added.
Lawrence agrees big business should be investigated. He believes, in
part, this depression has been manipulated. "Dick Gregory said we need to
investigate the C.I.A. I agree, but then investigate big business."
"However, we don't need another Rockefeller commission. Maybe the
Congress can do it. We need to investigate the structure of American industry, people simply have to know," Lawrence said.
Dinse doesn't think investigations are the answer. "Investigations don't
work. The people that would investigate big business are part of it or at least
support it," he said, "It's like asking the fox to guard the chicken coop. Big
business runs this country. People seem to know it and accept it."
"OUR ECONOMY is manipulated," Lawrence said. "I'm angry and
scared. In the March issue of 'Harpers' there is an article'that suggests we
intercede in the next Middle East conflict on the side of Israel. If and when
Saudi Arabia cuts off our oil the American public would then support the
invasion of Saudi Arabia in order to control their oil."
"When a man writes things like this and a magazine such as 'Harpers'
prints it, I begin to wonder just who runs this country," Lawrence said.
'High feelings' spark
recall of committees
by PAULA PECK
LIFE Ass't News Editor
In view of "high feelings" expressed by Student Government,
Patricia Giardini, dean of students,
has recalled both the Funding
Review Committee (FRC) and the
Funding Allocations Committee
(FAC) by letter.
The recall will move the funding
process for student organizational
groups back to the procedure used
last semester.
Some $53,807 was allocated to
student organizations in November,
with $18,000 put in the fDean's
(Giardini) discretionary "fund."
Money from the fund was to be
allocated to student groups by
petitioning Giardini if they needed
extra funding.
Under the procedure, used last
semester student organizations
submitted budgets to the FRC for
review  and   recommendatiqn.   The
requests then were sent to the FAC
for revisals and recommodations
before being presented to Giardini
for final approval.
The FRC and FAC decided last
semester Giardini alone would have
the responsibility of allocating
additional funds to student groups,
from the discretionary fund during
the Winter Semester.
When most student
organizations budget allocations did
not meet their original requests last
semester student groups expressed
dissatisfaction, most of it stemming
from the establishment of the dean's
discretionary fund.
In the last month, Student
Assembly has questioned and
criticized Giardini's handling of the
discretionary fund. Last week the
dean said she would be happy to
return to the funding process used
last semester, if the FRC and FAC
agreed to it.
With the recall of the FRC and
FAC Giardini said she immediately
was concerned if the committees
would come through in time to
allocate money to organizations who
need funds in March. She said she
hoped they could reorganize rapidly
in order to get the process in action.
She added there are many, a
organizations requesting funds.
' According to Giardini, thVre is
about $13,000 in the discretionary
fund now. A problem of funding
academically^relate'd groups rose
last semester. The consensus of the
committees was an academic group
should be funded by the department
it is associated with.
Giardini's letter states ideally
there should be no separation in
support of social or academic activities. Giardini requested
recommendations and criteria for
academic groups requesting funds be
set by the two committees.
The dean's letter also requested
women be considered for positions
on the FRC if any vacancies occurred. The all-male FRC drew
sharp criticism last semester.
Four women have been appointed to the FRC. They
include Victoria Bazon, St.
Joseph sophomore; Laurie Costly,
Midland freshman; Gail Kolb,
Saginaw junior and Sandy LaRose,
Mt. Pleasant senior. s
Other members of the FRC are
Pat Curley, Marysville sophomore;
Gordon Johnson, Grosse Pointe
Woods senior; Michael Martell, Flint
senior, Bill Pilchak, Warren  senior.
Absolutely!
Seals and Crofts to appear here
w
The folk-rock singing *duo, Seals
and Crofts, is scheduled to appear in
Rose Arena March 24 at 7:30 p.m.,
according to Program Board (PB)
officials.
Tickets will go on sale Wednesday at the University Center
ticket office, Jeff Wright, entertainment chairperson of PB, said.
Reserved floor, seating will be $5,
with reserved bleacher seating
ranging from $4.50 to $4.
Signed contracts between PB,
which is sponsoring the concert, and
Seals and Crofts have been received,
according to James Lombard,
coordinator of the . Office of
University Events.
Seals and Crofts previously had
been scheduled to appear at Finch
Fieldhouse Nov. 19,1974, but due to
the group's objection to playing six
concerts in a row, the performance
was cancelled.
Lombard said there was "absolutely   no   way"   a   similiar   can
cellation will occur this time.
Complete preparations, including
food and transportation for the duo
and their 33-man accompaniment,
currently are underway, he said.
Lombard declined to quote an
exact figure for next month's ap-,
pearance of Seals and Grofts, citing
contract  stipulations   include   a
confidential fee.
Lombard said he didn't know
who will be the 6pening act.
CMU students won't lose credit
for English in CLEP program
CM LIFE PHOTO BY gICK MCKAY
TERMINATION OF W7A'TER?-Barren trees and grey skies mark
winter days iii the Mt. Pleasant area. However, with the advent of
March»Saturday local residents can begin to hope for" seme semblance
of spring and sunny skies.
by NANCY SIRCHER
CM LIFE Reporter
Since Academic Senate voted to
reject credit for the College Level
Examination Program (CLEP)
general English exam two weeks-'
ago, there has been confusion over
who will be affected, according to
Raymond Kieft, director of Instruction and Research.
"WE HAVE HAD students
already at Central and potential
transfer students call in, wondering
if they'll lose the credit, they thought
they had," Kieft said.
"We will not remove or take
away English credit from any
student who already has enrolled at
CMU with the understanding she or
he had CLEP English credit," he
«said»
, In fact, anyone who took the
test before Feb. 18, 1975 and
received a score tot 50 per cent or
above will receive credit. This means
"We have had students a/ready at Central and potential transfer students vail in, wondering if they'll lose
the credit they thought they had"—Raymond Kieft,
director of Instruction and Research
if potential transfer students took the
tecit and have not enrolled at
Central yet, they also still will
receive credit, Kieft Said.
Only those new, uh-
matriculated students who haven't
taken the test before Feb, 1$ will not
receive credit for the English
general exam. However, the same
amount of credit can be earned after
that date by taking and passing the.
English/ subject exam. The subject
exam corresponds better to the
English 101 course offered at CMU,
Kieft added.
KtEFT ALSO said those
students who are looking: for ways to'
prepare for Graduate Record Exams
I,
or pre-professional exams should
contact the Instruction and Research
office in Warriner .Hall. Graduate
Record Exams are required by many
graduate of pre-prefessiohal schools.
Some,new brochures are appearing on campus, he said, from
testing services with which he is not
familiar. Kieft explained his office
investigates such services to see if
they are legitimate.
Vlt's easy for students to get
ripped off if they aren't careful;" he
added.
"We aren't saying the new
services are bad," Kieft said. "We
just think students ought to be-
careful. It is tougher to get into
graduate schools now and students
Will do everything they can to get in.
Unfortunately, some business people
realize this and try to capitalize on
it."    .
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