SThe
Ann Arbor,
Michigan Daily
Vol. LXXXIX, Na. 32-S
Friday, June 15, 1979_
Sixteen Pages
I
Michinon
Ten Cents
Argon gas
kills-man
at nuke
plant site
in Midland
MIDLAND (UPI) - Argon gas pum-
ped into a work area at a nuclear power
plant construction site felled a dozen
workers yesterday, killing one man and
injuring the others, one seriously.
Some of the injured, including plant
safety officials, were overcome by the
odorless, colorless gas as they tried to
rescue other stricken employees.
The accident occurred in an in-
strumentation tank within the still-
unfinished core of the second unit at
Consumers Power Co.'s twin-reactor
Midland plant. No radioactive material
was involved, the utility said.
SEVEN OF THE workers were em-
ployed by Bechtel Power Corp., the
firm building the $1.67 million plant.
The others worked for Babcock &
Wilcox, the company that designed the
reactors, Consumers said.
Two of the injured were admitted to
the Midland Hospital Center suffering
from argon gas inhalation and other in-
juries. The nine others were treated at
the hospital for inhalation of the gas
and released.
The argon was pumped into the tank
to "purge" or clean the area as part of a
welding operation but apparently "the
levels were greater than what is nor-
mal," said Consumers spokeswoman
Linda Lein.
"ARGON GAS is used in a special
welding process like that in the local
area where the weld is being made,"
Lein said. "They do that to prevent
corrosion of the weld."
See ARGON, Page 2
Carter lands in Vienna AP Photo
President Jimmy Carter, escorted by Austrian President Rudolph Kirchschlaeger, met members of the American diplomatic
corps yesterday after his arrival in Vienna for the signing of the SALT II pact with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Carter
and Brezhnev will meet for the first time tonight when the two paya ceremonial visit to Kirchschlaeger.
Bill may orce ('to release salaries
By SARA ANSPACH made available to the public.
According to Senate Appropriations Clerk Amy Schnet-
Legislation introduced in the state Senate yesterday zler, the 11 schools who have disclosed such information to
would require the state's public colleges to disclose their em- Hart's office, "did so with the understanding that none will be
ployees' salaries to the public. released unless all have been released."
Under the bill, sponsored by Sen. William Faust (D- MTU currently is involved in a lawsuit regarding the
Westland), the University and 12 other state schools would be disclosure of name-linked salary information and legally
forced to reveal staff salary information by name. cannot release the information to the appropriations commit-
"IF THE PUBLIC pays the bill they have the right to tee, said Schnetzler. The suit is expected to be settled soon,
know where it is going," an aide to Faust said yesterday. He she added, and the committee plans to wait until then to force
said it was "sort of peculiar" that the information is not now the University to reveal name-linked data.
public. UNIVERSITY INTERIM President Allan Smith has said
Currently the state Senate Appropriations Committee has the University chose not to reveal salaries to the committee
received salary information by name from 10 state colleges, because such disclosure would be an invasion of privacy. He
in response to last month's request from committee Chair- said he has not heard from Hart since the June 1 deadline for
man Sen. Jerome Hart (D-Saginaw). Michigan submittingname-linked information.
Technological University (MTU) and the University have not Smith said he was not aware of the legislation introduced
yet complied with Hart's request. yesterday and declined to comment, except to say such
If all 13 state colleges reveal name-linked salary infor- legislation might pose a constitutional question.
mation to the appropriations committee, the data will be
Regents hear faculty pleas on tenure review
By JULIE ENGEBRECHT Board members did not clearly in- BOTH THE SENATE Advisory Regent David Laro (R-Flint) a
dicate what action they would take. Committee on University Affairs Hughes whether Marwil's difficu
Continuing an unusual appeal which They have said they are concerned (SACUA) and the Senate Advisory were caused by personality probl
began last month, the University Board about intervening in a department's in- Review Committee (SARC) Hughes acknowledged Marwil had
of Regents heard more comments on a dependent decision unanimously voted to request that pressed opinions different than tho
special request to grant a tenure review Marwil's case be reviewed, the department at staff meet
to a University professor. Last month The issue was not whether to grant although Marwil most often sided,
the Board did not intervene in the case. tenure to Marwil, but to have his tenure the majority.
While last month's public discussion status reviewed, attorney Jerold Lax, HISTORY PROF. David Bien
centered around an anonymous pointed out. the issues involved were not poli
professor in the Department of College of Engineering rules ap- like those "that divided liberals
Humanities in the College of parently allow for discretion in whether conservatives."
Engineering, the professor was iden- a tenure review is to be granted, but the He explained the issue has "se
tified yesterday as Jonathan Marwil. professor must be given a year's notice consequences" for departments in
THE REGENTS heard requests from of contract renewal or termination. ters of recruitment of new fa
Marwil's attorney and colleagues, who HUMANITIES PROF. David Hughes members and promotion, becau
asked the Board to call for a tenure said although tenure review is not competition with other major un
review for the professor. requred under all circumstances, it is sities pnd the insecurity experience
History Prof. Shaw Livermore told customary to grant a review in the faculty members in their positions.
the Regents there would be costs in professor's sixth year of teaching. Decisions such as those made i
either event-whether the Regents He said in his judgment Marwil is an Marwil case also might result in a
decided to take action, or whether by excellent teacher, and his scholarship of morale within departments, Bie
not acting they let stand the College of is "outstanding-in the department plained. He defined it as a "kin
Engineering decision not to grant Mar- there are very few people who even crisis."
wila tenure. Lirprmnre touch it." See REGENTS Page 2
sked
ulties
ems.
d ex-
se of
ings,
with
said.
itical
from
rious
mat-
culty
se of
iver-
ed by
n the
loss
n ex-
nd of
v r. ,-F
V M r4a 1Y.
,