1994-04-18; Central Michigan Life

              v&-   '  ;-£S&| -. *****C -*Mj ■■- "- '••
■■-*■■•■*  ■"■ •■■ ■ ■—■:-"-"— —  II
E M   3 ■*»•? &
■fa
18, 1994
News
Power lunch
£r7g/er ws/te Moi/n£ Pleasant
Page 3
Et Cetera
 i—2L—ii o_
APOLLO'S CREED
OBL/'s annual talent show
Page 8
m -Ki
' ■   *    --irVti-trr ■
Be like mike
Are athletes role models?
Page 10
TUESDAY
H: mid 50s
L: around 30
partly sunny
Central
Michigan
VOLUME 76, NUMBER 80
MOUNT PLEASANT, MICHIGAN 48859
1994 CM LIFE
(617) 774-3493
14 PAGES
ADMINISTRATIVE SHAKE-UP
Reorganization eliminates VP Hill's job
By Marjory Raymer
i it- {■    Ass st.nM  News  f iM< >r
The Student Affairs division
will Ik* dissolved and Vict1 President James Hill's position will be
eliminated at the end of* the
semester in an initial sweep of"
administrative restructuring by
President  Leonard K. Plachta.
The announcement was made
Sunday in a press release from
Kae Goldsmith, director of Public
Relations, on behalf of Plachta,
who attended a four-day meeting
of the National Association of
Governing Boards in Washington, I).(\. over the weekend.
Plachta could not be reached at
his hotel.
The move, effective May 9, is
meant to "conserve and improve."
Plachta stated in the release "I
have spent considerable time
studying how we operate, how
effective' our current structure is
and how we might provide services more efficiently.
"I want to add that this should
not be considered a reflection
upon ( Hill» and his years of dedicated service to the university
and its students."
Hill said "(I am » in the process
of discussing my options with
• Plachta*," and wanted his comments to stand as stated in the
press release, in which he said:
"Of course I'm disappointed . .
My hope is that our accomplishments and programs will thrive
wherever they are located within
the university's structure.
"It is the students who should
be a primary locus of Our efforts."
Hill is tenured in physical edu-
cat ion and has the opt ion of continuing at CMU in the classroom.
The senior officer handbook gives
him the opt ion of taking a two- to
six-month leave at senior officer
salary to allow time to prepare for
a faculty position
..........     T ^r	
Areas reporting t<> Student
Affairs will be reassigned to ot hoi
divisions, Plachta stated m the
release. Student Affairs divisions
arc the Office of Student Life. tin-
Counseling ("enter, University
Health Services. Housing.
Minority Affairs. Scholarships
and Financial Aid. ('am pus
Kecreat ional Service- and ( areer
Services.
These1 units will be divided
among the other- divisions, w Inch
are     the     President's     Office.
Academic Affairs, Business and
Finance and I'niversity Hela-
t ions.
Most offices had not been notified which division they would
start reporting to. But, Sarah
Campbell, director of University
Health Services, said her unit
would begin reporting to Business and Finance. Tom Jones,
director of" the Student Activity
< 'enter, said he hail an "inclina-
tion" that recreational services
would go to the same division.
In   an   interview.   Goldsmith
LIFE Photo Illustration/Scott Eagle
said the elimination of the Student Affairs division will be by far
the most drastic change made
within the university, but lesser
alterations will be made by
Plachta as part of a more effective
urt»uiiixat ional structure.
Goldsmith said complete
details of Plachta's plan for university restructuring will be
made public during his address 2
pin April '21 in the Bovee University ('enter Auditorium.
Hill joined CMU in 1970 as
S**e HILL Pucje 2
Franke resigns post
to resume teaching
By Todd Fettig
1 IK   St.iff Wnter	
Robert Franke, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.
announced plans Sunday to leave his administrative position and
return to the classroom, a move he said was a considerat ion for some
time.
President Leonard E. Plachta stated in a Sunday press release
that a search will begin immediately for an interim provost and one
will be appointed before or during his April 27 university address No
effective date has been set for Frankes resignation.
Franke, provost since 1989, cited a passion for academics and a
wish to pursue teaching and writing as the reasons for the announce
ment.
"That's how I began, and that's where I'd like to end," he said
Franke denied his resignation was linked to pressure or dissent
from  faculty or February's proposed vote of no confidence by the
Council of Chairs.
He defended his record as provost, saying "unpopular decisions"
are a part of being an administrator.
Franke said he reached a decision with Plachta and said the two
"mutually agreed" that the time was appropriate.
"The president has plans to move the university," Franke said. "I
have some ambitions for the university, but being provost doesn't
allow me to do things with my disciplines."
Plachta praised Franke in the press release.
"I'm very grateful for Bob Frankes contributions and counsel,"
Plachta said in the press release. "It's a challenging and important
position and he has accepted those challenges to become an academic
leader.
"His expert ise as a biologist and author will certainly benefit ('ML
students."
Franke said he oversaw a number of improvements nut iated by his
office, including progress in teaching conditions, technology, minority affairs and better relations with the Mount Pleasant community.
Franke, who served as dean and honors program director at the
| University of Arkansas, Little Rock, has tenure in CMC's biology
•department and holds degrees in biology and English. He said he
! currently is working on a book about author and scientist Loren
I K ise lev.
Student leaders, CMU officials
view impact on different terms
Department chairs surprised by
provost's decision to step down
By Marjory Raymer
By Todd Fettig
CMU officials and students are at odds over
President  Leonard K   Plachta's action to elimi-
•   nate the Student Affairs division
Offices reporting to Student Affairs believe
j they can successfully serve- students regardless
! of Plachta's action, hut students fear their voice
! has been eradicated.
Plachta released plans Sunday to dissolve the
j Student Affairs division and Vice President
I James Hill's position as part of administrative
j restructuring, effective May 9 All subunits of the
j division will be redirected to one of the other four
j divisions the President's Office, Academic
Affairs, Business and Finance or University
Relations
Student Affairs includes Student Life, the
Counseling Center, University Health Services,
Housing, Minority Affairs, Scholarships and
Financial Aid, Campus Recreational Services
and Career Services
The elimination is the first movement by
Plachta toward an alternate organizational
structure- that he believes will increase efficiency, according to Rae Goldsmith, director of
Public Relations Plachta was not available for
comment outside of that in the press release,
because he is attending a four-day conference in
Washington, DC
Susan Clarkson, assistant vice president for
Student Affairs and director of Student Life, said
the Office of Student Life houses a dedicated staff
that will continue* to serve students to its fullest
ability Clarkson has scheduled a staff meeting
to  discuss  the  possible changes  in  the office's
f lit lire
Tom Junes, director of the Student Activity
(enter, -iid t he university has made its commitment to Campus Recreational Services and its
intent is to continue offering the best services
available.
* It doesn't matter to me where we report." he
said. \ don't anticipate it will make much of a
difference."
Students involved with Hill's Student Affairs
St udeiit Advisory I 'ouncil expressed an opposing
view
Jane Picotte. president ofthe North American
Indian Student Organization and Mount Pleasant junior, said. "There is going to he a big void
now
Student Government Association President
Bridget ls(|iiierdo, said Plachta's decision is
hypocritical of his claim to be serving the student s as customers
I think this sends a really strong message as
to w here students stand in this administration,"
said Uquierdn, Frankonmuth sophomore. "We
don t   even deserve our own division."'
Plachta stated in a press release, "I want to
add that this should not be considered a reflection upon < HiII» and his years of dedicated service
to the university and its students.
It is truly a reflection of my philosophy that
we can be leaner and as or more effective with a
different  university organizational structure*."
Paiihcllcmc Council President Melissa Macie
|e\\skt. Hemlock senior, questioned what
avenues were left open to students. "Where will
See REACT P<k
department chairs were
shocked Sunday at Provost Robert Frankes announcement to
resign from his position and
resume teaching.
Most who commented on
Frankes decision offered praise
and understanding.
Stanley Hirschi, chairman of
physics, said Franke*. vice president for Academic Affairs, hinted
at returning to the classroom last
week.
"He talked about teaching and
mentioned he was envious of people who were in that position,"
Hirschi said.
Roy Burlington, biology chairman, said Franke will make a
nice addition to his department.
Franke has tenure in CMU s biology department and holds
degrees in biology and Fnglish.
"He has a lot of expertise in
biology and we welcome* him."
Burlington said.
Burlington also applauded
Franke's efforts as provost
"I think we owe Provost Franke
gratitude for his previous contri-
but ions."
Thomas Delia, chairman of
chemistry, said Franke followed
the lead of many administrators
by returning to the classroom.
** He has a lot of expertise in biology and we
welcome him. 39
Roy Burlington
"Those kinds of jobs are* very
stressful," Delia said. "Most pee>-
ple who hold them want to ge>
back to teaching.
"He's been here* five years.
That's about as long as these people* last before they go back to
teaching or move on to another
school."
But not everyone spoke highly
of Franke. Robert Craig, chairman of breiadcast and cinematic
arts, questioned the timing of the
provost's decision and blasted his
performance.
"I'm curious as to what spurred
him em to resign at this point in
the school year," Craig said. "I'm
ne>t aware eif any one event that
happened "
Craig said a meeting earlier in
the* year le*ft him de>ubting Frank-
t»\s ability.
"Pe-rsonally I fe*lt there was
re»om for improvement," he said
"The last time he visited our
department, he left us questioning if he knew which department
he was talking te>."
LIFE
ON THE INSIDE
MORE NEWS 3
VOICES 4
PLACEMENT 5
VOLUNTEER NEWS      7
ET CETERA 8
SPORTS 10
CLASSIFIEDS 12
POLICE 14
David Smith, Academic
Senate chairman and chairman
of the religion department: William (Von, Faculty Association
president and professor of
accounting; Francis Molson,
chairman ofthe* Council of Chairs
and chairman of English; Alice
Littlefleld, chairwoman of sociology, ant h rope> le>gy and social
work; Terry Arndt, dean of the*
College of Business Administration; and Je>hn Haeger, dean of
the* College of Arts and Sciences,
all we*re unaware of the*
announcement and declined to
comment.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY'S NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1919