1995-04-19; Central Michigan Life

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Michigan
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19,1995
ORGANIZERS
WILL CELEBRATE
25TH EARTH DAY
ON THURSDAY
See page 3
Street closing would
create extra problems
for disabled students
By BRIAN WAGNER
LIFE Staff Writer	
Winter might pose even more
of a problem for disabled students
and the transportation they need
to get to classes if Washington
Street is permanently closed.
Erica Stark, president of Students Serving Students with Disabilities and Lake Orion senior,
said many disabled students use
the sidewalks between Anspach
and Pearce halls when the
weather is nice, but take the
Isabella County Transportation
Commission bus during the
winter.
"Wheelchairs don't like snow or
ice," Stark said. "During the
winter it could cause great risk,
and persona] injury could occur."
The ICTC bus usually travels
through the section of Washington Street that could be blocked
off to provide rides to students
with disabilities.
"It's an option to take the bus,"
Stark said. "Most of the time it
gets used in the winter. I was
using it until the street got
closed; now it's quicker to take
the sidewalks."
Jan Bauman, ICTC Operations
Manager, said although the com-
pa^y^ufrently has no plans to
cancel the service the closure will
definitely be an inconvenience.
"We may not cancel the contract, but we might have to up the
amount we're getting due to the
fact that it takes twice as long,"
Bauman said. "Nothing's been
done, but we're thinking about
it."
Bauman said the closing
makes it harder to drop off passengers.
"There is no safe location at
Anspach to drop them off," she
said. "With it open, it's better for
students, but it's also better for
us, so we can get things done
quickly as possible."
Stark said she has encountered
several ICTC drivers who agree
that the closing would be a problem, if permanently established.
Paul Preston, Mount Pleasant
city manager, said he has not
received many complaints concerning the closing.
"I've had one letter of complaint — none from the disabled,"
Preston said. "If there is concern
with the disabled getting to class,
we need to know. If it has an
impact with these people, it's
something they should bring up
with the planning committee."
Carol Wojcik, coordinator of
Student Disability Services, said
it would be impossible for the bus
to get from Anspach to Pearce in
lO minutes with the road closed.
"There has to be a better way,"
Wojcik said. "Maybe they can let
the buses through."
Stark agreed
"It's just an inconvenience,"
Stark said. "We have to have earlier time calls, earlier to classes
and we may be late for classes.
Something needs to be done."
Brown Bag Luncheon
protests ARAMARK
LIFE Photo ANDY KLEVORN
Clerical workers protest privatization during
lunchtime Wednesday by bringing bag lunches
to the Down Under Club.
By JENNIFER ACKERMAN
LIFE Staff Writer	
An estimated 150 people attended the
Brown Bag Luncheon Tuesday at the
Down Under Club in silent protest of
ARAMARK's control ofthe dining service.
From 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., university
food service, clerical and maintenance
workers, students and CMU retirees
brought sack lunches to the Down Under
Club during their lunch hours.
"I thought it was very effective," said
Jerry Mester, president of the American
Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1568.
Mester said the silent protest "motivated by the lack of input to the university
community about decisions that are being
made."
Although he said he thought the protest
was effective, he was not completely satis-
DINING SERVICES
fied with the results.
"Basically it's falling on deaf ears. I
think the administration takes notice, but
I don't think they concern themselves
with the people's concerns," he said. "It's a
shame that even the students have lost
their voice."
Paul Hayward, regional operations
analyst for ARAMAKRK, was out of town
and could not be reached for comment on
the protest.
Jerry Tubbs, emeritus vice president
for Business and Finance, also attended
See PROTEST Page 2
Baskin, Warden, LaBelle are
9S5 commencement speakers
Separate commencement ceremonies are planned
for 9&0 a-nu, 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. May 6 in Rose
-Arena. Students will attend the ceremonies accord-
ing to the degrees they receive.
Henry Baskin, attorney at law with Baskin &
Feldstein of Farmington Hills, will address graduates at the 9:30 a.nu ceremony (hosted by the College of Arts & Sciences): bachelor of arts, bachelor of
fine arts, bachelor of individualized studies, bachelor of
music, bachelor of music education, bachelor of science,
bachelor of science in engineering technology, master
of arts, master of arts in humanities, master of fine arts,
master of music, master of public administration, master of science.
Gail Warden, president and CEO of Henry Ford
Health System will address graduates at the 1:30
p.m. ceremony (hosted by the College of Education, Health & Human Services): bachelor of applied arts, bachelor of science in education, master in
administration of vocational education, master of science in administration, master of arts in teaching, specialist in physical education, specialist in psychological
services, specialist in education, doctor of psychology,
doctor of philosophy.
Bart LaBelle, president ofthe real estate division
of LaBelle Management and chairman of Michigan Transportation Commission, will address
graduates at the 4:30 p.m. ceremony (hosted by
the College of Business Administration): bachelor
of science in business administration, master of business administration, master of business education, office communication specialist certificate.
A reception in the Small Sports Forum ofthe Student
Activity (Tenter will follow each ceremony
LIFE Photo ANOY KLEVORN
APRIL
SHOWERS
The cliche finally became a reality Tuesday as pouring rain replaced snow showers.
Edgewood may fight fence with lawsuit
By JENNIFER PAWLOWSKI
LIFE Staff Writer
The owner of Edgewood
Apartments is taking another
route in his fight against the
Mount Pleasant School District's
decision to construct a fence
around the wood lot behind Vowles Elementary School.
Jack Stenberg, owner of
Edgewood Apartments, 712
Edgewood Drive, has been trying
to stop construction ofthe 6-foot,
chain link fence that partially
blocks a path many students use
to walk to campus, and since his
efforts have been unsuccessful to
date,   he   is   threatening   legal
action.
Anne McLellan, counsel for
Stenberg, sent a letter to Robert
Janson, superintendent of Mount
Pleasant Public Schools, on Monday stating that the school district has seven days to respond to
Stenberg or the battle will enter
the legal arena.
'They're either going to have to
negotiate, or they're going to face
litigation," Stenberg said.
Janson was unavailable for
comment, but he previously has
said that the wooded area is the
districts land to use. The school
district planned to fence off the
area to allow for a new Volwes
Elementary School  program  to
educate students on environmental issues.
The path would be partially
blocked by the fence, which is bordered by Crawford and Stockman
roads, just east of Vowles
Elementary School.
However, Stenberg maintains
Edgewood Apartments and its
residents have a legal right to use
the land. He said he has an easement, which is a legal term for
the right to use public land, that
has allowed him to use the land in
the past.
He said he feels the school district is directly stopping his use of
the land.
"There's   no   cooperation   and
several statements the superintendent has made have been
false," Stenberg said. T don't
expect a settlement out of court,
but we're giving them the opportunity."
But, not all the management at
neighboring apartment complexes completely agree with
Stenberg's stance.
Dave Lapham, owner of Casa-
loma Apartments, 1800 Edgewood Drive, said he has not had
any student complaints and does
not foresee problems because the
school district is creating a path
so students can continue to cut
See PATH Page 17
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SPORTS page 10
ENSEMBLE
Jazz Lab 1 and
Central Air Jazz
Band will perform at
Warriner Auditorium
ET CETERA page 14