The Michigan Daily-Thursday, June 15, 1978-Page 3
Clay will
hold PBB,
says MSU
scientist
MIO (UPI) - The threat of PBB
seepage into groundwater below a
proposed pit for tainted cattle is so
slight that the 20-foot clay lining in the
pit was not even necessary, a Michigan
State University soil scientist testified
yesterday.
Lee Jacobs testified before Oscoda
County Circuit Court Judge Allan
Miller in an evidentiary hearing man-
dated by the Michigan Supreme Court,
which must decide whether it is safe to
bury animals contaminated with
polybrominated biphenyls in the 2.2
acre pit.
JACOBS SAID based on studies he
had done with HBB - a material 20
times less soluble in water than PBB -
that PBB would attach itself to
X material in the decomposing carcasses
and that it would not pass through the
clay liner and into area groundwater.
"PBB would rather be associated
with organic rather than inorganic
material," Jacobs said.
However, Robert Asparger of
Midland, an orgsnic chemist who
followed Jacobs on the stand, testified
that Jacobs did not have sufficient
knowledge of the chemistry involved to
draw that conclusion.
ASPARGER said that chemical
analysis would indicate that the PBB,
in addition to adhering to organic
material inside the pit, also would
adhere to fats that could seep through
the clay lining.
Asparger also testified that PBB
could be safely incinerated.
could be safely incinerated.
The Holland Tunnel, completed in
1927, cost the lives of 13 workers in the
seven years it took to build the under-
water vehicular tube under the Hudson
River between New York and New Jer-
sey.
Daily Photo by JUN \NO
UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT Robben Fleming testifies at GEO hearings yesterday, with Judge Shlomo Sperka presiding.
Fleming: GSA's are students
By BRIAN BLANCHARD sustain the University's stand." But Sperka decided to con-
University President Robben Fleming, testifying for the tinue the hearings in August.
administration during yesterday morning's hearings con- GEO's lawyer Cousens made a series of objections to
cerning the employee status of Graduate Student Assistants questions asked of Fleming by Veracruysee, most of which
(GSAs), said he hears constant criticism from outside the were sustained by Sperka for being "too general."
University of the use of teaching fellows in place of In response to a question Fleming said the use of teaching
professors, and defended the present University policy assistants is the source of "the biggest single criticism I've
which does not recognize GSAs as employees. heard of the University." He said that he receives many let-
Fleming's was the only testimony during the second day ters from students reporting that teaching assistants "are
of hearings reconvened in the litigation between the Univer- not giving them (students) what they need" and that his ex-
sity and the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) on the planation is that the graduate students "are having to get ex-
second floor of the Union. Administrative Law Judge Shlomo perience" while teaching.
Sperka ran the hearings ordered by the Michigan Em- Fleming affirmed that he has advocated a reduction in the
ployment Relations Commission (MERC') to determine number of GSAs in the passt but has found resistance around
whether GSAs are to be considered both students and em- the University to such a cut back from departments which
ployees, or just students, in their relationship with the use a large number of GSAs.
University. Fleming explained that the money paid to graduate
GEO counsel Mark Cousens made a motion at the close of students takes many forms-loans, teaching assistantships,
yesterday's proceedings to end the hearings, listing the fellowships, and research assistantships-which he called
arguments which have been presented by GEO for the em- collectively "the forms of financial support they use to get
ployee status. Cousens's administration counter-part, Robert their education."
Veracruysee, endorsed the motion, saying "the record will See FLEMING, Page II
today-
Bursley seeks Regen t post
State sen. GilbertBursley (R-Ann Arbor) for-
mally declared his candidacy yesterday for one of
the University's two Regents positions to be filled in
November. Bursley, who has served 16 years in the
senate, said he would like the opportunity to combat
the difficult problems he expects the University to
face in the 1980s. He warns enrollment will drop by
as much as 25 per cent and tuition costs will
skyrocket. "We face the real possibility that many
students will be priced out of an education and we
face a challenge in that we must make faculty com-
pensation competitive with the best elsewhere,"
said Bursley. His main priorities'are to hold down
tuition and fee increases, be responsive to in-
novations in teaching, and broaden scholarship and
student aid to the University.
Regents advance
Graduate students who think their tuition is too
high will have the opportunity today to hear the
Regents offer their explanations. The Regents will
discuss professional school cost in the monthly
public discussion meeting today at 9 a.m. in the
'Regents room of the Administration Building. The
Regents will-also hit on the "selected highlights of
financial air program, UM-Ann Arbor, 1976-77".
Happenings.. .
... are ready-made for late risers today, because
they don't begin until noon when jazz pianist Larry
Manderville gives a free performance in the Pen-
dleton Arts Information Center of the Union... at
7:30, there is an Eckankar lecture at the public
library ... also at 7:30, the Ann Arbor Ostomy
Association will meet at the Senior Citizens
Guild ... and at 8 in the Briarwood Community
Rm. there will be a talk on reincarnation.
Fortunate misquote
Only occasionally do drugs, politics and Hunter S.
Thompson end up on the winning sideof an election.
Paul Eckert says it might have been an unwitting
assist from Thompson which helped him capture a
nomination to the San Diego County Board last
week. Eckert was worried at first when a local
newspaper quoted him as saying he likes Texas
because "you can actually drive around there
drinking wild turkey out of the bottle and be ad-
mired by the police." The article also said Eckert
was doing the interview only "to get some coke
(cocaine) money". However, through a mechanical
snafu, the newspaper had inadvertently switched
Thompson's quotes with Eckert's, who says the
newspaper's mix-up may have delivered him the
cocaine-users' vote - although the only thing he
sniffs, he claims, "is victory in November."
On the outside ...
Summer will start creeping back into town today
as the mercury will climb to a more seasonal 75 un-
der cloudy skies. The only drawback is that the
clouds will be of a rain-promoting variety. Tonight's
low will be a comfortable 55, and Friday will sizzle
with a high of 86.