1995-02-20; Central Michigan Life

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1995
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SEE PAGE 3
Board passes 'very small scale' 3.8% tuition increase
8 alternative charter schoo/s
approved under new legislation
By MARJORY RAYMER
LIFE Editor	
In an "historical act," the CMU Board of Trustees acted Friday to
raise the tuition 3.8 percent and fees zero percent — keeping Central
one of the least costly universities in the state.
Board chairman Sid Smith said the move was historical because of
the timing as well as the amount ofthe increase, which combined equals
3.5 percent for tuition and fees.
CMU is the first public university in Michigan to approve next year's
tuition and fees cost, which is its lowest in nine years.
Tuition will be $92.65 per credit hour; it was $89.25 for the 1994-95
academic year. Fees will continue to include $160 for enrollment, $100
for the Student Activity Center and $10 for the Student Budget Allocation Committee.
"We think this is a very, very important picture we are painting for
the rest ofthe state. We are proud to keep increases at a very, very small
scale . . . And the timing is good for families so that they will have
plenty of time to plan for next year," Smith said.
Normally, CMU does not approve the increases until the summer
months, after the state budget is approved by the governor and the
Legislature.
Although the trustees did not approve a final percent increase for
room and board, they did commit to not raising the cost by more than 3.5
percent, which at the most would bring the cost up from $3,900 to
$4,036.
The maximum total cost for an on-campus student enrolling in 31
credit hours next year will be $7,178.15.
The smaller tuition and fees increase is part of an active move to
CMU TUITION AND MANDATORY FEES INCREASES 1990-96
Per year based on 31 credit hours
10 6%
9 8%
9.3%
11
| 10
|      9
I      8
«      7
1      6
6 5
4
3
8 9%
Source: CMU
Board of Trustees
l4.7%
r3.5%
'90-91
'91-92
'92-93
■93-94
"94-95
•95-96
Plachta postpones merger
discussion, has 'significant'
academic changes in store
improve Central's image across the state, Smith said, as is the charter
school movement.
During the meeting in the President's Conference Room, trustees
approved eight charter schools: Northlane Math and Science Academy
in Freeland, Michigan Early Elementary Center in Lansing, Concord
Academy in Petoskey and Walden Green Day School in Spring Lake for
an April 1995 opening; the Academy of Casa Maria in Detroit, New
Branches Academy in Grand Rapids and the Saginaw Chippewa
Academy of Mount Pleasant for a fall 1995 opening; and the Merle
Academy in Southfield for a fall 1996 opening.
Five of those schools previously had been approved under the original
law allowing universities to form the alternative charter schools, a law
which was ruled unconstitutional in November. The new law, which
See TRUSTEES Page 12	
By MARJORY RAYMER
LIFE Editor	
The university is on the brink
of "significant" academic reorganization, President Leonard
Plachta announced at the Board
of Trustees meeting Friday —
and some believe that the College
of Arts and Sciences is at the
focus of that plan.
Plachta discussed future
restructuring as part ofthe board
discussion about the proposed
mergers between the geology and
geography departments as well
as the religion and philosophy
departments.
Plachta asked that he be
allowed to postpone his recommendations for both mergers
until after he announces the
plans for an academic reorganization in April.
"I am suggesting that these
mergers ... be set aside for later
consideration, subject to some
later plans regarding academic
reorganization of a broader perspective," he said during the
board meeting.
Fred Adams, chairman of philosophy, said "the rest of the
administration and the faculty
haven't heard anything about an
academic reorganization, which
is typical of this president.
"The merger had nothing to do
with making the university better and that's why the faculty
voted it down. It's just a power
struggle," he said.
"He's going to reconfigure the
whole university because he
didn't get the religion and philosophy merger. Well that's just
petty. That's not a way to run a
university, or a business for that
matter," Adams said.
Plachta said he has briefly discussed the reorganization with
members of the university community, but would not comment
as to who.
See BOARD Page 2 	
Jury finds former student
guilty of third-degree CSC
By TRACY TOMCZAK
LIFE Staff Writer
VERY
BRADY
LIFE Pfioto/AMDY KLEVORN
Members of the CMU women's field hockey team sang the Brady
Bunch theme song Sunday night at the Jock Rock in Warriner
Auditorium. The event raised money for the winning group's
favorite charity and the Student-Athlete Advisory Board.
Former CMU student Scott Alexander was found guilty of third
degree criminal sexual conduct and all four counts of furnishing alcohol
to a minor, Friday in Isabella County Circuit Court.
A jury of five men and seven women took four and a half hours over
two days to find Alexander guilty of CSC against a 17-year-old female,
following three days of testimony.
Alexander, 27, might face a harsher punishment than the maximum
sentence on the counts if he is found to be a habitual offender, which will
be the subject of a hearing scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Circuit Court Judge Paul Chamberlain will set a sentencing date
after the hearing Tuesday.
Alexander had no reaction when the jury announced its verdict, but
Mark Kowalczyk, Alexander's attorney, said he was "very disappointed
with the whole thing."
See VERDICT Page 12
Scott Alexander
Police catch man with gun at court building
By ERIN MERCER
LIFE Staff Writer
After an alleged foot pursuit
with authorities, Timothy Cof-
fell, a 34-year-old Mount Pleasant man, was arrested Friday for
carrying a concealed weapon to
the Isabella County Court Building.
Police said  CorTell brought a
loaded Ruger 11 shot automatic
.40 caliber pistol with a spare 11
rounds of ammunition into the
court house where he was
attending a custody hearing.
Judge William Ervin called the
Isabella County SherifFs Department when it was reported that
CoiTell could be in possession of a
firearm and asked for everyone to
be searched before entering the
Isabella County Circuit Court,
according to an ISCD report.
Coffell was spotted in the hallway and was approached by
Sheriff Barry De Lau and Under-
sheriff William Burns.
Police said he was advised of
the allegations and when asked if
he  was carrying a weapon, he
See CHASE Page 2
IjProposal would open casino all week, all day, all night
By ERIN MERCER
LIFE Staff Writer
Booming business at the Soaring Eagle Casino
Mias prompted a proposal to keep the doors open 24
hours a day, seven days a week.
The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe has been
talking about the proposal for awhile, but with
increasing patron demand and the approaching
spring and summer seasons, it seemed a good time
to implement new hours, said Joe Sowmick, public
relations director for the tribe.
The proposal needs to be approved by a majority
ofthe gaming commission and then by a majority of
the Tribal Council.
"It is going to happen, it's just a matter of time,"
he said.
The tribe would like to see the new hours within a
month, but if that is not possible, hopefully by
Memorial Day, he said.
The present casino hours are from 10 a.m. to 2
a.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 10 a.m.
Friday to 2 a.m. Monday the casino, 7070 E. Broadway Road, is open 24 hours.
The tribe feels changing hours will make the
operation more profitable, Sowmick said.
The tribe extended the hours for Valentine's Day
and it was very successful, Sowmick said. He added
that there were lines at all the gaming facilities
throughout the weekend.
With the new hours, the tribe will need to hire
more people, but are not sure in what areas at this
time, he said.
Reorganization at the beginning of February
resulted in the casino laying off 200 employees. The
layoffs were made in an effort to "streamline and
reconstruct," according to Sowmick.
Prior to the decision to layoff employees, patrons
at the casino were notified Jan. 30 that poker had
been terminated from the casino.
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SPORTS page 6
BLAST FROM
THE PAST
Brady Bunch movie
brings 709s people to
909s society
ETCETERA page 8