The Michigan Daily
Vol. XCI, No. 32-S Ann Arbor, Michigan-Friday, June 19, 1981 Ten Cents Sixteen Pages
Regents set
for geography
decision
Daily Photo by PAUL ENGST ROUM
Vice President for Academic Affairs Bill Frye listens to speakers defending
the University's geography department during the public comments session
of yesterday's Regents' meeting. Frye, who presented the Regents with his
recommendation to discontinue the department, has asked the Regents to
make a final decision on the issue in their meeting this morning.
Technological breakthrough
in what it has described as a "quantum jump," a local research firm announces
two breakthroughs which could have a significant impact on the state's and the
University's economy. See story, Page 3.
Cruising an AAPD nightshift
A Daily staff writer spends a Friday night patrolling with Ann Arbor police. See
story, Page 8.
. g
Chri ianse n
selected as new
Denisrydean
By ANDREW CHAPMAN
Daily staff writer
The University Regents enter into
their second day of discussions on the
administration's recommendation to
discontinue the University geography
department this morning.
TheRegents first addressed the issue
yesterday afternoon when Vice
President for Academic Affairs Bill
Frye formally presented his recom-
mendation to eliminate the depar-
tment. Frye has asked the Regents to
make a final decision on the depar-
tment's fate today.
The Regents adjourned discussion of
the recommendation yesterday with a
promise to resume deliberation as the
first item of business at this morning's
meeting starting at 9 a.m. Frye warned
the Regents that if they postpone a
decision on the geography question un-
til a later meeting it could cost the
University money. "If you could, try to
make the decision during this
meeting," he told the Regents yester-
day.
YESTERDAY, the Regents heard
Frye's formal recommendation along
with statements from LSA Dean John
Knott, geography department Chair-
man John Nystuen, Senate Advisory
Committee on University Affairs
Chairman"Morton Brown, and Al King,
a representative of the faculty review
committee.
During the public comments section
of the meeting, the Regents heard
various members of the University
community speak in defense of the
geography department.
Nystuen criticized Frye's recom-
mendation, saying, "It was an ar-
bitrary decision. The discontinuance
proceedings are destructive and
hypocritical."
SACUA CHAIRMAN Brown defended
the administration's recommendation,
but he added, "although the (Regent's)
guidelines for discontinuance have not
been followed perfectly, we do not per-
ceive any procedural lapses serious
enough to cause a reconsideration of
the issue."
Dean Knott also defended the ad-
ministration, saying. "Our economic
situation forces us to make hard
choices if the University of Michigan is
to remain synonymous with academic
excellence."
All speakers during the public com-
ments section argued against discon-
tinuance of the department.
UNIVERSITY Mathematics Prof.
Wilfred Kaplan presented the Regents
with a statement claiming that the ad-
ministration may have ignored a
Regental bylaw, thus possibly in-
validating the review findings.
"Many of the faculty are deeply
troubled by the damage being done to
the professors and students in' the
department and many feel that no
satisfactory reason has been given for
such treatment," Kaplan said.
University geography graduate
student Margaret Wilderstold the
Regents "The events of the past months
have convinced me that the welfare of
the students is a secondary con-
cern... How then are students expec-
ted to function," she asked.
KNOTT ADDED that other depar-
tments in the University will be subject
to cuts ranging up to 12 percent. He did
See REGENTS, Page 4
Design for
hospital
approved
by state
committee
By NANCY BILYEAU
Daily managing editor
A state legislative committee ap-
proved the schematic design of the
University Replacement Hospital
Project yesterday morning in an action
hailed as a "major milestone" toward
reaching the Oct. 1, 1981 construction
deadline set by University officials.
The $173 million in state funds now
proposed for hospital construction
would be the largest appropriation of its
kind in state history, according to
University Hospital administrator
Marsha Bremer.
IF THE appropriation is approved by
the full state Senate and House, it would
be the largest in state history for a
single construction project, surpassing
the Mackinac Bridge as the most ex-
pensive state-funded structure in
Michigan, Bremer said.
The Joint Capital Outlay Committee
See STATE, Page 4
By LOU FINTOR
and JENNIFER MILLER
Daily staff writers
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Bill Frye will recommend to the
University Regents today that Dr.
Richard Christiansen be appointed the
new dean of the University's dental
school.
Pending the Regent's approval,
Christiansen will take the post July 1,
1982. Dental school Associate Dean
Robert Doerr, who is also president of
the Michigan Dental Association, will
serve as interim dean when the dental
school's current dean, William Mann,
steps down early next month.
CONTACTED AT his home in
Bethesda, Maryland, Christiansen said
of his appointment, "I'm very excited. I
believe it will be a great challenge to
me professionally."
Christiansen is currently the
associate director of extramural
programs of the National Institute of
Dental Research, a division of the
National Institutes of Health, in
Bethesda.
"I am certainly honored to be
recommended as the next dean of the
School of Dentistry," Christiansen said.
He will assume the position next year
because, he said, "I am a federal em-
ployee at the moment and there are a
number of steps to be taken before I can
be released. My position here is very
demanding and it will require my full
See CHRISTIANSEN, Page 11