Friday, June 18, 1976 THE MICHIGAN D Bell seeks $178 million hike AILY Page Eleven YLY Pge E eve GEO hits 'U' on a fimative action LANSING (UPI) - State officials were disappointed but not surprised that Michigan B e 11 Telephone asked for a $178 million rate hike just five weeks after approval of a $52 million boost. "The company has a right under the laws which we operate under to file for an increase," said State Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairman Daniel Demlow. "It will be given the attention of the commission." DEMLOW, who voted May 6 County fixes VD plan (Continued from Page 3) was "in error -in telling em- ployers that they can't discrim- inate in contracts other than this one." Tuesday night the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) passed a resolution urging the Board to reject the contract un- less the University agreed "not to discriminate on the basis of sexual preference or marital status in its overall personnel policies." "Because the University has not agreed to a change in its general policies, we can only conclude that it is not sincere in 'his instance," said GEO mem- ber Dan Tsang. "As a single and a gay I really don't think the University is sincere on this ssue and therefore I wouldn't ant to use the facilities." "THE ISSUE isn't sexual pref- erence or marital status, but the right of the county to control University hiring policy," said Daane before the meeting. "We i otld haverbeen changing an vittre University policy to ac- 'timmodate the needs of a rola- itely minor contract." 11 e c a u s e the University is ate-run, he said, it operates tder state and federal guide- County Health Officer John Atwater, who worked on the project for six months, said the VD program "was a victim of another issue which wasn't our issue . . . obviously I'm frus- trated." Atwater added that VD treat- ment is still available if the patient wishes to make his or her own arrangements but that "none of (the local) facilities have been interested in being identified as the primary source for VD treatment" in a county program. to give Bell the $52.2 million hike, said he thought the PSC "made a fair decision" at that time. Demlow said it has "become almost a standard practice" for utilities to request another hike in rates almost itnme- diately after receiving an in- crease. Roderick Coy, an assistant attorney general, called the re- quest 'incredible." "Based on having received a $52 million increase such a short time ago and to come back with what is the biggest rate increase request in Michi- gan history is certainly diffi- cult to understand," Coy said. If granted, the $178 million rate hike request would raise the average monthly bills of its customers by 19.3 per cent. It would hike monthly bills of Detroit area customers by $1.35 and outstate customers by up to $1.95. (Continued from Page 3) "You have input but no con- trol," Forsyth told his adver- saries. Even if the conditions of the Memorandum of Understanding are placed verbatim in front of the University for approval as a contract clause, Forsyth said, "We will consider it but our response is undoubtedly going to be no." With that, the fruit- less discussion was tabled. "WITH affirmative action we are dealing with something that's not there. At least with non - discrimination we have something to sink our teeth in- to," Gobbacia said. Where GEO had listed a num- ber of characteristics which could not be discriminated against, such as sexual prefer- ence (by their new definition) and political beliefs, the Univer- sity went with a sort of blanket clause. It stated its depart- ments will not discriminate against employes based on fac- tors not specifically mentioned unless the University decides a certain factor interferes with job performance. "We want legal, binding, waterproof kind of language . . . We are trying to protect people from future arbitrariness by the University," said GEO negotiator Ilan Tsang who, like his colleagues, is opposed to letting the University decide each discrimination case indi- vidually. But Forsyth said, "We've re- viewed it as a list (CEO's spe- cifics on non - discrimination) and we are not willing to say that any one of those things, at any point in time under any circumstances, will not be rele- vant (to teaching perform- ance.)" GEO- S A I D yesterday that their sexual preference clause does not sanction sex between homosexuals in the classroom. "Whatever standards you have for evaluating straight people you should have for evaluating gay people," explained GEO bargainer Sandy Wilkenson. "We are not asking to allow them to do anything at all," Reynolds Manoch of GEO said. "We just want them to be al- lowed to express their sexual preference or orientation (out- side the classroom)." The Union is asking the Uni- versity to evaluate GSA's on the basis of their teaching per- formance only and not on their lifestyle. The University, as yet, cannot guarantee such judge- ment procedures. Tenants' rights ensured by bill (Continued froin Page 3) rent by quickly sending eviction notices. "THE BILL is aimed at the poor little bleeding heart type of landlord that doesn't act businesslike and listens to false promises by tenants which even- tually lead to irrational actions by landlords," Fleming said. "This bill will make them learn in a hurry." The bill's success up to noon was made possible by the state- wide lobbying conducted by the newly formed Michigan Tenants Rights Coalition, says Bullard. The lobbying effort brought to- gether 25 tenant rights organiza- tions under the auspices of the Public Interest Research Group in Michigan (PIRGIM), the stu- dent funded public interest or- ganization. 'U' may receive additional money (Continued from Page 3) they do some carving that $2.6 million becomes a target." University officials don't be- ieve the bill will make it through the conference commit- tee unscarred. But even if the University receives the increase t would have no effect on this tll's 9.7 per cent tuition in- cease, they added. Vice President for Academic hufairs Frank Rhodes said, "I t't see any way that appro- i tion will lead to a tuition Jecrease. Most of the funds are earmarked for medicine and dentistry," to make up for a loss of federal funding in those areas. "I DON'T KNOW how we'll get through the year," he said, adding that there was a possibil- ity of "another midyear budget reduction." University Vice President for State Relations Richard Ken- nedy said, "I'll be happily sur- prised if we wind up with that (the $2.6 million). If it went (to the governor) in its present form there's a pretty good chance it will be vetoed." 10% OFF ALL :r TENNIS gS 416Y RACKETS WITH THIS AD Offer Good Through June 25 lip Sor tSiO b 711 N. UNIVERSITY 902 S. STATE NO 8-6915 NO 8-7296 THE HAZARDS OF BEING MALE The Mvth of Masculine Privileae The University of Michigan, is conjunctin with Univ. Activi- ties Center UACi presents a onstay wortksop, Monday, June 21 from