'U', GEO battle over class size
By GEORGE LOBSENZ
Unyielding intransigence seemed the
order of the day as the controversial
class size issue was up for discussion at
yesterday's University-Graduate Em-
ployes Organization (CEO) 1976 contract
negotiations.
After relatively mild exchanges con-
cerning departmental meetings to dis-
cuss class size and availability of class
size data, tempers flared over the ques-
tion of a University-wide class size
policy.
SAYING "educational quality" was
one of their major concerns, CEO bar-
gainers said class size had been slow-
ly, but discernibly climbing in recent
years, adversely affecting not only un-
dergraduate education but Graduate
Student Assistant (GSA) working condi-
tions.
"There's a major psychological fac-
tor," said CEO bargainer Barbara Wein-
stein, "if you're leading a discussion
of 15 people, you feel you have a chance
to hold an effective discussion - if
you're dealing with 30, 35 people, you
go in there with much less confidence."
GEO'S Aleda Krause second Weistein,
saying she felt "intimidated and help-
less" when confronted with overly
large sections.
UNIVERSITY chief bargainer John
Forsyth flatly rejected the notion of a
class size clause in the contract.
"The University will not accept any
class-size limitation in the contract."
"Krause countered, saying, "we're
not going to go along with the idea that
you have every right in the world to
raise class size."
KRAUSE also rebuffed Forsyth's con-
tention that class size was an "educa-
tional decision" and there-by, not open
to negotiations.
"The Administration gives them (de-
partments) the budget and they (de-
partments) make the (class size) deci-
sions on the basis of the budget-these
aren't educational decisions."
GEO bargainers also pointed out that
class size clauses were included in GSA
contracts at other Universities, specif-
ically Wisconsin.
FORSYTH reiterated his position: "it
(class size) won't be in a University of
Michigan agreement."
"We'll see about that," shot-back GEO
negotiator Nancy Kushigian.
GEO then jumped on Forsyth's state-
ment as a "refusal to bargain".
"WE TRY to meet your concerns,"
complained Krause, "you don't even be-
gin to make offers, you just say 'we're
not going to accept anything connected
,with this.'"
Preceding the brouhaha, the two
teams appeared to be making progress
on a minor part of the class size pro-
posal.
GEO requested meetings with depart-
ment chairpersons to discuss class size
Life on Mars, i
PASADENA, Calif. {P) - If there's
life on Mars, it is probably a micro-
scopic variety equipped with biological
pumps to extract liquid from the very
dry atmosphere, Viking I's head scien-
tist said yesterday.
Dr. Gerald Soffen expressed opti-
mism that Viking I would find life when
it scoops up a sample of the Red
whenever five per cent or more of a
department's GSAs asked for such a
meeting, after calling the University's
original proposal of SO per cent, "ridi-
culous".
FORSYTH contested the GEO propos-
at, saying he thought 25-30 per cent was
a more realistic figure.
Finally, both sides tentatively agreed
that such meetings would be called
when 25 per cent of a department's
GSAs or 5 GSAs requested one.
Also discussed was the availability of
class size data. No agreements were
reached on this subject.
any, microscopic
Planet's desert surface Wednesday.
"I'm extremely encouraged with the
discovery of nitrogen," Soffen said.
"That changes it all for me."
"After months-and months of arguing
among the Viking scientists over the
presence and amount of nitrogen, we
find ourselves swimming in nitrogen,"
Soffen said.
" . missing out
on some of the
t DAILIES because
of delivery
mistakes ?
1 1,
disagree with a bill -
we sent you for THE DAILY?
WE'D LIKE TO TRY TO STRAIGHT- /
EN OUT THAT PROBLEM, BUT WE
CAN'T IF YOU DON'T LET US
KNOW ABOUT IT.
Monday thru Friday, 10 A.M. to 3 P.M
CIRCULATION I fttj 764-0556
DEPARTMENT
Council members Jones,
Greene endorse Riegle
By PHILIP BOKOVOY
Second Ward Councilpersons Carol Jones and Earl Greene
yesterday announced their support for Democratic Senate can-
didate Donald Riegle. The pair will direct the Washtenaw County
Citizens for Riegle Committee on election day in an effort to
boost voter turn out.
Both Jones and Greene have long supported Riegle but their
announcement allows him to use their names in soliciting support
from voters.
JONES CITED three reasons for her endorsement sYf Riegle.
"I feel he's the most liberal . . . he's young . . . (and Secretary of
State Richard) Austin, I basically see as a hypocrite and a con-
venience politician," she said.
She added that she thought Austin handled the branch manager
controversy "in- an extremely . . . dishonest way."
Austin has been attacked for accepting campaign contributions
from the branch managers he had previously installed. In the
past, branch managers had to agree to kickback to Austin and
previous secretaries of state ten per cent of the fees collected
from the sale of license plates. Austin recently ended the practice.
GREENE SAID Riegle was "the only clear choice for pro-
gressive politics" and said he did not like Austin because of his
age. He said he felt a man of 64 could not become effective
because he could not be in the Senate long enough.
"I was surprised the Mayor (Albert Wheeler) endorsed Austin,"
remarked Greene. Wheeler endorsed Austin at a press conference
Monday.
Greene also said he would not support Rep. James O'Hara
(D-Utica) either because 'he represents the old-style politician."
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