1995-05-31; Central Michigan Life

              DELAYED
TODAY    K2/s52
mostly sunny
THURSDAY -81/.52
partly sunny
Meeting to discuss
Washington St.
closure postponed
INSIDE      page   3
THE AGONY
OF DEFEAT
CMU BASEBALL
goes 1-2 z.v NCAA
REGtONALS
SPORTS      page
^feo<3^
Central! iff
Michigan LI m  E
WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 1995
ALSO INSIDE:
WELCOME
CENTER
PLANNED
FORUC
PAGE 3
CMU boycott threatened over charter schools
University promises 'assertive' response
The letter from Lake Orion Community Schools
superintendent Robert Bass,
received by the president's office May 24:
Dear President Plachta,
This is to inform you that because of Central Michigan
University's indiscriminate approval and support of charter
schools throughout the State of Michigan, the Lake Orion
Schools has chosen to no longer support your institution.  We
will no longer accept student teachers from Central Michigan
University. Although we will allow the two students scheduled
Ito serve their student teaching experience here in Lake Orion in
the fall of 1995, no additional students will be accepted.
Also, we have asked our counseling staff at the High School to
no longer recommend Central Michigan University as a preferred institution for our students to attend for higher education.   Further, our Personnel Office will no longer consider can-
jdidates for full-time teaching positions who are graduates from
Central Michigan University.  We are saddened by the actions
jwe feel we must take because we have had a long hi.story of
cooperation between our school district and the university.
■ •
Sincerely,
Robert W. Bass
Superintendent
By SCOTT ANDERSON
l IFF Fditor	
In a written assault on CMU's
charter school policy, Robert
Bass, superintendent of Lake
Orion public schools, has vowed
to halt hiring of CMU graduates
and discourage students from
attending the university.
The May 19 letter addressed to
President Leonard Plachta, Bass
writes that because ofthe university's "indiscriminate approval
and support of charter schools
throughout the State of Michigan, the Lake Orion Schools has
(sic) chosen to no longer support
your institution."
Bass also states he has asked
the counseling staff at Lake
Orion High School to "no longer
recommend Central Michigan
University as a preferred institution" for its students.
But this came as news to Jan
McNamara, chairwoman of the
counseling department at Take
Orion High School, who said she
has no knowledge of such a directive.
"I am unaware of the letter "
An onlooker views the statue "War Cry," by Derek Rainey. Monday afternoon as part of Memorial Day
activities at Island Park.
A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
By SYLVIA DANA
LIFE Staff Writer
People lay roses at the base of
the Michigan Vietnam Memorial
Monday as three more names
were added as part of Memorial
Day services.
The services were followed by
the first Michigan Vietnam Veterans' Powwow at Island Park.
The newly recognized Michigan veterans are Sgt. Andrew
Meshiguad of Mount Pleasant,
Sgt. Gary Gillard of Essexville
and PFC Ronald Michaud of Iron
Mountain.
According to Jim Jennings,
Vietnam Veterans of America
Chapter 438 historian, the servicemen, who were born and
raised in Michigan, had families
who lived out of state at the time
of their death.
"This Powwow is a celebration
of life and a time to come together
to honor fallen comrades. It's a
very spiritual thing," said Joe
Sowmick, director of public relations for the Saginaw Chippewa
Indian Tribe.
See VETS Page 2	
McNamara said. "We typically
recommend CMU to our students. I know again this year that
we're sending students to CMU."
Bass was unavailable for comment. His secretary said neither
Bass or any of the assistant
superintendents would comment
until Plachta had a chance to
review the correspondence. Bass
did not get the approval of the
Lake Orion School Board before
submitting the letter, according
to CMU officials.
Plachta was out of town and
could not be reached for comment.
However, Rae Goldsmith,
director of CMU Public Relations,
said the university is considering
"several options" which could
include legal action, but could not
elaborate.
"I think it would be a little
early to say we're going to do X or
Y," Goldsmith said.
Goldsmith said the president
was "concerned about the letter"
and will be taking some "assertive action to address it."
Robert Mills, director of CMU
Charter Schools, said he talked to
Bass after the president received
the letter. Bass, he said, offered
no specific reasons as to why he
was taking such a tough stance
with CMU.
"He has literally attacked students, not charter schools," Mills
said. "This is a knee-jerk reaction
on his part. Every CMU graduate
should be offended by that action.
"If it's a charter school issue he
should have written a letter to
our legislators in Lansing. It
angers me that any educator
would ever hold students hostage
like this."
Although Mills said he is aware
of some anti-charter school sentiment, this is the first written criticism     the     university     has
received.
"We have heard this from several sources — a dislike for charter schools," he said. "The union
views charter schools as competition, we view charter schools as
ways of making schools better."
"People that take the time to
ask questions tend to get their
concerns addressed," Goldsmith
said. "We're hopeful that schools
that have concerns address them
constructively. We don't feel this
is a constructive approach."
Tim Fagan, assistant principal
for Lake Orion High School, said
eight out of the 60 current high
school teachers are Central graduates.
"A number of Chippewa grade
are teachers here," Fagan said.
"While I understand the message, they question the methods
(Bass) took."
Fagan said he generally agrees
with Bass' opinions on charter
schools.
"(Bass) wants a level playing
field, but right now the way charter schools are written up, it
isn't," he said.
Dawn Cooper, director of com-
See CHARTER Page 5	
MEA reps sue CMU over
six eliminated positions
By SCOTT ANDERSON
LIFE Editor	
In response to the April
reclassification and subsequent
elimination of six Dining Services
positions, union representatives
is taking CMU to court — but the
university doesn't think the
union has much of a case.
The Michigan Education Association, which represents CMU's
Supervisory Technical Association, filed the lawsuit Thursday
with the Isabella County Circuit
Court.
The lawsuit asks for an injunction by the court against the
reclassification ofthe positions. A
hearing was scheduled by Judge
Paul Chamberlain for June 19.
The positions ofthe six employees were reclassified to administrative professionals, and were
scheduled to be eliminated June
30, because of ARAMARK's
restructuring of Dining Services.
ARAMARK is the private company hired by the university in
January to run Dining Services.
Among   the    six   employees
affected, three have accepted
positions with ARAMARK and
one currently is being evaluated
for a job with the company,
according to Rae Goldsmith,
director of CMU Public Relations.
Of the remaining two, one
employee resigned and one
declined to interview with ARAMARK, she said.
"I think we'll let the facts speak
for themselves," Goldsmith said.
"We're very confident we met our
obligations under the ST contract."
Goldsmith would not release
which employees had accepted
ARAMARK jobs.
Diane Ruszczyk, MEA director,
said the organization waited to
file the lawsuit until it had "properly researched" the situation.
"I think it's quite clear; we
would like the judge, to instate an
injunction so the grievance processes can be completed," Ruszczyk said.
At the upcoming hearing, the
university will have to show
cause as to why the preliminary
injunction should not be issued,
according to an MEA press
release.
Linda Bradley, supervisor of
Carey Hall Dining Commons;
Jerry Jones, supervisor of Merrill
Hall Dining Commons; Prakash
Rathod, supervisor of Woldt Hall
Dining Commons; Tom
Schneider, supervisor of Robinson Dining Commons; Tina Stal-
ter, supervisor of Robinson
Dining Commons; and Bob Van-
Pelt, former chairman of the ST
union; all were affected by the
decision.
Terry Viau chosen new director
of Financial Aid & Scholarships
By ERIN MERCER
UFE News Editor
With more than 15 years experience with
CMU*s accounting services, Terry Viau has been
chosen as new director of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
Viau, assistant controller for Receivable and
Payroll Accounting, accepted the position Thursday offered by Bruce Roscoe, interim dean of Students.
"I am excited about the the challenge and the
opportunity," Viau said.
Viau was chosen from six candidates who inter
viewed for the position.
Roscoe said he is pleased with his choice for the
position.
"She was the best qualified of those who
applied," Roscoe said.
Her strong background in office management
will help her be an effective leader, Roscoe said.
One thing Roscoe said he would like to see Viau
accomplish in her position is moving the office
forward to enhance student service delivery.
Her appointment as director will become efTec-
See VIAU Page 5