I' Ninety-One Years of Editorial Freedom C I tr Singan 143ItiQ WARMER Mostly clear and mild today with a high in the mid 50s. ,Vol. XCI, No. 159 Copyright 1981, The Michigan Daily Ann Arbor, Michigan-Wednesday, April 15, 1981 Ten Cents Eight Pages W- R"- F The ax 'U'faculty winces as budget blade falls Forum looks at student involvement in rtrenelunent By NANCY BILYEAU Faculty members from several of the University's smaller departmen- ts, uneasy over impending budget cuts, are looking enviously at professors who teach subjects which appear less vulnerable. However, almost all professors-whether presiding over a handful of students or a packed auditorium-are now trying to cope with problems brought on by budget constraints that are not likely to go away. THEIR complaints, ranging from the changing market value of a lear- ning discipline to out-dated laboratory equipment, are as diver- se as the departments and colleges in which they teach. Engineering professors, envied by some for their job security, are fin- ding that the current popularity of their field presents drawbacks in the form of over-crowded classrooms. "Our classes are bulging because we don't have enough money to staff the incoming enrollment," ex- plained English Prof. Ralph Loomis from the humanities department in the School of Engineering. "We're up, our classes are larger, but the money is not following the students," Loomis said, adding that faculty members' workloads have "shot up." INDUSTRIAL Engineering Prof. Richard Wilson said "We're running into trouble," pointing to a 50 per- cent hike in college enrollment coun- tered by a decrease in faculty of ap- proximately 15 percent. Crowded classes are detrimental to any kind of personal relationship between faculty and students,' par- ticularly in the humanities depar- tment, Loomis said. The atmospheric and oceanic science department in the School of Engineering, although a con- paratively small department, is not particularly threatened by budget cuts, said Prof. William Kuhn. KUHN, however, did cite a See 'U', Page 2 I Daily Photo by JOHN HAGEN UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT Harold Shapiro responds to criticisms of University budget management at last night's forum while David Pratt, chairman of the mechanical engineering department, listens in the foreground. University implements its 'smaller but better' plan By BARRY WITT Arguing whether students should par- ticipate in the budget cutting process, students, faculty, and administrators discussed strategies being used in the University's efforts to head off its financial crisis at a forum last night. The former president of the Michigan Student Assembly and a member of the University's Budget Priorities Commit- tee were among the more than 200 who attended the Senate Assembly's mon- thly meeting, which was designed specifically as a forum for opinions on the University's handling of the budget situation. FORMER MSA President Marc Breakstone, who earlier last night passed the gavel to newly elected MSA President Jon Fieger, repeated his call for a more direct student role in the budget reduction process. But University President Harold Shapiro said although students do deserve a voice in the decisions, there must be*caution in allowing students to react "in a faddish way." Responding to criticism on the lack of student participation in the review of the Geography Department, Acting- LSA Dean John Knott said the college has followed the Regents guidelines for program discontinuance, which calls for a "peer review" by faculty mem- bers only. BREAKSTONE expressed his con- cern that "the future of the University is being determined in a highly ex- clusionary way," citing the control of two sets of decision-making bodies-the Committee on Budget Administration and the school and college executive committees. "We have not been asked what would best meet our needs as students," Breakstone said. Economics Prof. Thomas Weisskopf, another critic of the administration's proceedings and the smaller but better philosophy, suggested ways in which the University might generate new revenues. WEISSKOPF PROPOSED the University examine possibilities such as a sliding scale of tuition for students from middle- and upper-income families, and a small tax on income earned by alumni after graduation. Acknowledging that alternative methods of raising funds are being used and could be further looked into, Shapiro expressed some doubt that Weisskopf's proposals were feasible. Law School Prof. John Jackson, a recently-appointed member of the Budget Priorities Committee, defended the current committee system of evaluating budget cuts. Referring to the complexity involved in making financial decisions for the University's General Fund, Jackson said, "It is hard for me to imagine a more careful and appropriate procedure for the difficult budget decisions . . . without getting into procedural costs themselves which would rival the extent'of the budget cut- ting." Assessing the impact of cuts relative to the entire University "would require an overall knowledge of the University budget . . . which only the full-time budget officers can master," Jackson added. By BARRY WITT To most students and faculty and staff members, the most notable effect of the University's budget problems will be reflected in higher tuition bills and less attractive paychecks. According to the latest administration reports, tuition will likely increase more than 16 percent next year. The faculty and staff salary program has yet to be discussed. NEXT YEAR'S ECONOMIC hardships on the University community are primarily the result of almost a decade of state appropriations which have failed to keep up with fhe University's needs, according -to University President Harold Shapiro. In January, 1980, Governor William Milliken had hoped to increase the'University's appropriation by 9 percent. But Michigan's economy was hit hard as the year progressed; consequently, the legislature allocated the University 5 per- cent less than the year before.. THE GOVERNOR IS EXPECTED to sign legislation soon that would increase the University's appropriation by more than 12 percent over this year. However, officials in Lansing and at the University fear the state's economy will not recover well enough to allow the state to provide the money necessary funds to increase the University appropriation by the full 12 percent. Administrators here are hoping the University will receive at least a 7 percent increase. Over the past year, the University has handled its budgetary crunch in stages. Last July, the Regents announ- ced a 13 percent tuition hike. A few months later, Vice President for Academic Affairs Bill Frye asked every See 'U' DEALS, Page 8 Frye ... holds the knife It's the only game in town By JULIE ENGEBRECHT A Daily News Analysis Efforts by Michigan State University and the University of Michigan to pare their budgets have led to dramatically different results. MSU's problems have attracted national attention, while, facing a nearly identical budget shortfall, the University of Michigan has kept the debate primarily within its own com- munity. SAYS UNIVERSITY of Michigan Vice President for Academic Affairs Billy Frye; "The distinctions there and. here may not be all that different; they're just responding differently." Both universities approached the severe shortage of state funds by Pbeginning to make selective program reductions. But, in making the necessary cuts, University of Michigan administrators were able to rely heavily on the in- stitution's tradition of decentralization, and a record of regular program reviews. Administrators asked all University department units to make an ap- propriate percentage reduction in their budgets. When that wasn't enough, the process of program reduction com- menced, and a number of non- academic units were targeted for major budgetary reviews. One of those programs, the Extension Service, was recommended for discontinuance. AT MSU, A single faculty committee proposed wholesale elimination of MSU's nursing school and of a number of smaller residential colleges. Tenured faculty have been threatened with layoffs. Protests and demonstrations prompted by the proposed cuts were prevalent on the MSU campus. So, from all appearances, the Univer- sity of Michigan is in relatively good shape, handling its budget problems in a competent and reasonable fashion. Finally, say state legislators and budget officials, who hold ap- propriation purse strings, someone un- derstands what they have been talking about all along: reducing educations' See 'U' NEW, Page 8 Winning touchdown The space shuttle Columbia lands at Edwards Air Force Base in California yesterday after its historic 54-hour maiden flight. Columbia is the first aircraft to return from orbit for a wheeled landing on Earth. See story, Page 3. ToDAY Crime doesn't pay F YOU WANT to "get rich quick" in Ann Arbor, stealing a parking meter isn't the way to do it, as Markley residents Ronald Scott and David Granoff found out Monday. Scott and Granoff were arraigned yesterday on charges of stealing a meter located on Washington Heights near Markley. Although the head of the meter was valued at $200 and the post was worth $20, there was only $15 worth of change in the meter. Scott declined to The party's over For those of you who waited until the last minute to file your income tax returns, time is almost up. Taxpayers can avoid penalties-which can go as high as 12 percent per year-if they get their federal, state, and local returns postmarked by midnight tonight. Otherwise, Uncle Sam will come looking for you.u And speaking of deadlines.. . in space, in an effort to discover the effects of zero gravity on human reproduction. According to Fix, "Zero gravity, or the negative vacuum of space, is the only thing we can't duplicate on Earth as far as genetic research goes." The flies will be divided until they are in space when they will be allowed to mate. Q ,. ,while others make believe While astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen were in space aboard the shuttle Columbia, two Illinois State Universitv students were with the~m. Or at least that's the Persistence pays off Frances Gaffney, after taking adult education classes has finally received her diploma after 80 years as a high school dropout. Gafney, 94, proved in an oral test that she met the requirements of a high school diploma and was given her sheepskin by the Dickinson County Community Schools. Gaffney quit school in the 10th grade because, she said, education wasn't considered too important for girls then. "They said I was a good student," she recalled. An Iron Mountain native, Gaffney and her husband lived in t"!rn ., Unxi Wi . whrca.-f 1aciahrlako in. ,Airwyn.chip I I i E