Cutting the budget: How much bleeding? The worst may be yet to come. That's the outlook many hold toward the state's current budget squeeze that has already caused MSU .to pare nearly $600,000 from its current budget. Some say that more cuts will have to be made before the present fiscal year ends on June 30. And other observers contend that even if state tax reform is passed, it won't have impact in time to avert another financial crisis for 1971 - 72. Falling state revenues, blamed. largely on the long strike at General Motors, required a 1 per cent cut ($600,000) i~ the University's state - appropriated funds. Depr_rtments and units had to decrease their budgets by 1 ~ per cent to meet that reduction and to offset such inflexible expenditures as debt retirement, utilities, insurance, personnel benefits and student aid. The cutting was completed by Dec. 21, with most departments electing to defer filling vacancies, and to lower supplies and equipment outlays. No salary reductions or layoffs were needed to meet the December budget cut. But some deans noted that any more decreases this year would be much more difficult to meet. One of them noted that budget cutting involves a combination of . efficiency and expediency. As the cuts go deeper, expediency is likely to overshadow efficiency. * * * SOME COMPARE the current budget situation with the state's financial crisis that resulted in a "payless payday" (but not at MSU) more than a decade ago. Roger Wilkinson, vice president for business and finance, said that the day - M§1U Facu ty Ncew§ Vol. 2, No. 11 Michigan State University Jan. S, 1971 to - day crisis was more serious 12 years ago, but today's problems are more complex and possibly more serious. MSU and other universities were riding the crest of generous federal support a decade ago, he said, and the University was entering a period of significant growth in enrollment. Now the federal support is leveling off, foundations are more restricted by new legislation and MSU's enrollment total is stabilizing. "I see us now at the point where we have to continue to emphasize to the legislature how the University is meeting its commitments to the state, and how it warrants maximum support," he said. "Through the 50's and 60's, our main thrust was in building the facilities to take care of more and more students. Now our needs are more complex, with a stable enrollment, changes in student mix, and shifts in program emphasis toward priorities being set by the society. "The problem now is in reallocating (Continued on page 2) 'Becoming human' is symposium topic The fourth annual University College Symposium opens next week (Jan. 11 - 13), and the featured speakers will be a noted Black author, an avant - garde clergyman, a psychologist and a philosopher. "On Becoming Human" is the theme of the symposium. The four speakers are: * Margaret Walker Alexander, professor of English at Jackson State College and author of the best - selling novel "Jubilee." * The Rev. Howard Moody, progressive pastor of Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village, the New York, who has been in as forefront of such movements Women's Liberation and the "New Politics. " the * Sydney J ourard, professor of psychology at the University of Florida and author of numerous books and articles on humanistic psychology. * Ervin Laszlo, philosopher, musician. an d proponent of broadly based integrative education programs. * * * THE SYMPOSIUM schedule is as follows (all speeches will be in the MSU AuditOrium): Monday (Jan. 11) - 7 p.m., Jourard will speak on "Unpolluting the Human Environment: A Social World Fit for Humans to Grow In.'' Tuesday (Jan. 12) - 4 p.m., Laszlo will discuss "Reverence for Natural Systems: An Ethos for the Coming Age." At 7:30 p.m., Mrs. Alexander will speak, "On Becoming Human: On Being Human-." Wednesday (Jan. 13) - 4 p.m., the Rev. Mr. Moody will speak on "Some New Styles in the Way of Becoming Human." During the symposium the speakers will stay in coeducational dormitories where they will be available to students for informal discussions. Campus groups wishing to arrange sessions with any of the speakers may do so by calling 353-3213 or 353-3214. A thletic card sale Faculty and staff who did not purchase football tickets last fall can purchase athletic cards for winter and spring sports. Individual faculty and staff may. buy the cards at $7 each, and a second card, also $ 7, is available for spouses. The card admits holders to all winter and spring athletic events, except basketball. General admission basketball cards are available at the same price. They can be purchased at the athletic ticket office, Jenison Field House (355-1610). Board approves tenure for 51 faculty members Fifty - one faculty members were granted tenure at the Dec. 11 meeting of the Board of Trustees. (The list is printed on page 3). The total includes 29 associate professors and 22 assistant professors. All will acquire tenure with reappointment Sept. 1, 1971. A total of 1,442 faculty now hold tenure, Provost John E. Cantlon reported to the Board. The figure is about 67 per cent of all those in the tenure system, he said, and the new approvals will bring that percentage to almost 70. Cantlon also reported that of the University'S 2,495 total faculty members, 2,139 are in the tenure system. Responding to a question from Trustee Warren Huff, Cantlon said that 12 faculty who were eligible for reappointment under the tenure system were not so recommended. L Roger Meiners: Poet, critic, teacher. - Photo by Dick Wesley New faculty (No.4) 'Getting people to ask good questions' Talking about poetry, photography, "Catch 22," auto racing and the "crisis in English." Sitting back with pipe and/or cigar, in wide bow tie and navy blue blazer - the contemporary poet looking his part? He is a poet, amateur photographer, former stock car race driver (during college days), and he's Roger K. Meiners, new associate professor of English. chairman of Meiners came fall term to MSU from the University of Missouri, where he taught for six years and served as associate the English department and director of graduate studies. Before that he taught five years at Arizona State after receiving a doctorate at the University of Denver. Having to "tear up roots and leave friends" made the decision to leave Missouri difficult, he says, but the move from associate chairman to associate professor is "not a step ,down. I was further and getting into academic administration and I wanted to do more teaching and writing," he says. further Teaching: "Getting people to the place where they are beginning to ask the significant questions, where they are at least beginning to be equipped to answer those questions. Getting them to see questions are not questions you can confine to formal hierarchies, formal rhetorics, academic situations, and see that the questions have significance to the way one views human life itself .... " literary that * * * MEINERS began his studies at Wheaton College (Illinois), interested in philosophy and theology, and attended theological school in Philadelphia. At some point in Denver he decided to "mark time by taking a master's degree (Continued on page 4) MSUFacultyNews,Jait~ S, 1971 The 'depression' hits higher education A recent It may come as little consolation, but Michigan State has lots of company as it wrestles with its financial problems. released by report the Carnegie Commission on Higher "The New Depression in Education - Higher Education:" - concludes that 23 per cent of the nation's colleges are "in fmancial difficulty" and 43 per cent are "headed for trouble." The projections are based on a study ' of 41 institutions. Among those in the study who are "headed for trouble" are Harvard University, the Universities of Chicago, Michigan and Minnesota, and Central Michigan University. Judged already "in financial difficulty" are Stanford University and the Unive}"sity of California at Berkeley, and nine others. The report, written by Earl F. Cheit, professor of business administration at the University of California (Berkeley), that the schools in trouble or says heading for it are not necessarily lagging in the quality of their programs Or in their administration. It is quite possible, the report says, that a college in fmancial difficulty is doing relatively more than others to maintain trying to its quality while balance income and expenditures. . IN THE concluding chapter of his draft of the report, excerpted in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Cheit examines the question, "Is the money crisis on campus having beneficial effects?" He says the question was asked at 29 of the 41 campuses in the study, and that "administrators at only three schools responded with an unequivocal 'no' to the question." the schools had Cheit also reports that at only four of tight money the situation enabled them to "get rid of dead wood" in the form of certain functions or individuals in academic, nonacademic and administrative posts. "The main beneficial impact of the Budget reductions • • • (Concluded from page 1) funds that aren't growing or that are growing at a slow pace." IN A SESSION last month with faculty of the College of Education, Provost John Cantlon said that the prognosis is not good for substantial new revenues from the state. Despite the cloudy outlook for 1971-72, both Cantlon and Wilkinson emphasized that the University will not retreat from its requested amount of state funds for the next fiscal year. (MSU has asked for $81.5 million from the state, about $21 million more than it received for 1970-71.) Both have indicated that a "defeatist attitude" - the University accepting the inevitability of having its budget severely reduced by the legislature - becomes a self - fulfilling prophecy by the time appropriations are released. me Bu:lget Cutters administrators, money crisis on campus has been to faculty - and make students more cost - conscious," he says. "On 15 campuses, administrators said there was much more husbandry as a result of their problems." He cited two promising measures arising from the financial crisis: "The plan for program growth by resource allocation, being seriously tried on some campuses," and the interinstitutional cooperation in "certain high - cost fields being developed in some areas of the country." in for (MSU has several years participated the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, a compact of the Big 10 universities and the UniverSity of Chicago.) MANY DEANS at MSU, while acknowledging that there is need for the UniverSity to closely examine its overall objectives, said they saw little good coming from the recent budget cut. Lawrence Boger, dean of agriculture and natural resources, noted that if any benefits are to be realized by reducing or expanding programs on a priority basis, such actions should be introduced before budgets are established. Spokesmen from two other colleges - communication arts and engineering - said that their budgets were so tight before the cut that no efficiencies were realized by further slicing. Richard Sullivan, dean of arts and letters,_ noted that, if nothing else, the current squeeze has made some people \ realize that "we don't have all the money we had assumed was always there." That realization may be important, said Roger Wilkinson, vice president for business and finance. "Now everyone is taking a close look at programs," he said. "Many people didn't believe us before when we talked about financial problems. " Added Jack Bain, dean of communication arts: "This kind of situation may make the University take a harder the need for a Imnagement system to use in setting priorities. " look at THE CARNEGIE report concludes that JJ colleges hope to earn more public support, they need to restore' public in higher education. The confidence three "aspects of the report offers task:" * Colleges and universities "must have campuses that reveal themselves as being reasonably governable." This does not mean "a placid campus, but it does mean a stable one." . * Colleges and universities should "demonstrate that they are reasonably efficient in their internal operations." What has happened in recent years is "that the burden of proof of the value of educational fmance has shifted. The fact of a request is not enough. It must also be demonstrated that the money will be put to efficient use." * There must be "convincing evidence the -activities of colleges and that universities have a unifying set of purposes - purposes that the supporting public can understand and defer to." It adds: "When many' students and faculty find little sense of purpose on a campus engaged in a web of service, research, instructional and speCialized community roles, it is not surprising that the supportirig public begins to doubt the schools' sense of priorities or mission." - GENE RIETFORS A-P job survey is underway The classification committee of the Administrative - Professional Association is distributing questionnaires this week to all A-P staff. The questionnaires are part of the committee's effort to determine if an overall study of the A-P classification system is needed, according to J. Henry Backus, chairman of the committee and emplo:rment specialist in the Personnel Center. Purposes of the questionnaires are to see if A-P employes are satisified with their job titles and descriptions, and with their A-P classifications. Deadline for returning the questionnaires is Jan. 11. The committee headed by Backus met several times during the fall term. Its next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 12. Census datu here The First, Second, Third and Fourtil Count Dane County, Wisconsin, Census Te~t Tapes are now availabl:! in the Computer Center. Persons wishing to do any testing of the tapes may contact Anders J ohanson in Applications Programming 324 Computer Center, 355-4684. Also available is the Census Bureau' s display program "DAULLIST," displaying contents of the Census Bureau's 1970 First Count Summary Tapes. COGS protests voting rules MSUFaculty News, Jan. 5, 1971 in At its final fall · term meeting, the Council of Graduate Students (COGS) favor of a voted unanimously statement protesting the voting restrictions placed on graduate student representatives in the Academic Council and its committees. The restrictions are provided in the Academic Council's recently approved report on student participation in academic governance. That report, the COGS statement says, . "does not differentiate between undergraduate and graduate students in its application of voting restrictions; and while those restrictions are unwarranted. and unnecessary for undergraduates, they are even more objectionable when applied to graduate students. "At this University, graduate students perform a substantial portion of both teaching and research fuctions the generally conceived faculty to be activities," the . statement continues. "Accordingly, as graduate students perform the professional duties of the faculty, they should be entitled through their representatives to full voice in the academic governance." COGS nevertheless will continue to send representatives to the Council and its committees, and will probably· impiemenJ the student participation report if it is not further weakened in the Academic Senate this month, the statement says. "But if the voting restrictions in the (report) are interpreted and imposed to graduate systematically deprive students of meaningful voice in academic governance, we will reconsider our participation in favor of working through other channels." PASSAGE OF the statement followed these reflected a discussion which concerns: - Of one student that the student voice is a thorn in Council members' sides; (Replied Peter Flynn, president of COGS: "You're not a thorn; the thorn is the vote.") Of another - Of the same student, that it is iniportant to differentiate between graduate and undergraduate students; graduate students are professionals. student, On the importance of keeping whatever input possible in the Council, with the powers o f pe rsuasion if n ot of voting. (Response from Flynn : " Discussions in the Academic Council are not a thing .. People have persuasion predispositions. So the meaningful voice is in the tally.") to its IN OTHER business, COGS heard a finance committee , report from is charged with making which recommendations the council regarding use of its tax revenues. The committee suggested a loan program for graduate students, using initially 30 per cent of the revenues, with a maximum I oan of $100 per student. Also recomm6nded was a graduate student term referendum during regist ration for suggestions on using the money. to poll students spring If COGS should dissolve at any time, the finance committee recommended that a plan be developed so that any COGS revenues be redirected to "the it," for example people who gave through scholarships, rather than being absorbed by the University's general fund. MEANWHILE, the Student - Faculty Judiciary denied a request for a hearing on the constitutionality of the COGS tax on graduate students. The request was made by Richard Trilling, a graduate research assistant in physics who charged that the COGS tax of 50 cents per graduate student per term would violate four sections of the Academic Freedom Report. The judiciary denied the request because of a question of jurisdiction, based mainly on the lack of graduate student representation on the judiciary, according to Ruth Renaud, director of judicial programs. While . graduate students have been involved in cases brought before the body; the judiciary has never heard charges against graduate students or brought by graduate students, Miss Renaud said. The judiciary intends to write an opinion expressing concern about the lack of an alternative body for graduate students, she said. That fuzzy area of jurisdiction should be the clarified with passage of document on graduate student rights and responsibilities, which was cleared in by a conference committee December. through The document, which should be available the office of Advanced Graduate Studies early this term, must now be considered by the Academic Council and Senate, and the Board of Trustees. - BEVERLY lWITCHELL Board 'delays ruling on supervisors' group Action on official recognition of a new the MSU collective bargaining unit - Supervisors' Association - ' has been postponed until the January meeting of the Board of Trustees. At its Dec. 11 meeting, the Board voted to delay any vote on a request to recognize the association, which seeks to represent some 200 supervisors primarily from dormitories and food services, and physical plant. Most of the supervisors are labor pay roll employes not now represented in collective bargaining. Executive Vice President Jack Breslin told the Board that the association had obtained signatures from 114 of the 209 employes it seeks to represent. Taylor Groves, vice president of the supervisors' group and food supervisor in Brody Halls, said last week that members of the association were concerned mainly wi th having their own hearing procedures. He said that the recently approved hearing procedure for administrative - professional staff could be a model for the supervisors' association. TRUSTEE Kenneth Thompson told that he was fellow Board members c9ncerned over the growing number of I The new tenure list The list of 51 faculty who acquire tenure on these associate includes Sept. 1, 1971 , professors: [