LIFE CENTRAL MICHIGAN
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Central Michigan University
| Monday, Jan. 9, 2012
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[cm-life.com]
FA to vote on tentative agreement No increase in pay from last contract By Theresa Clift Staff Reporter
Faculty Association members will vote on Wednesday and Thursday to ratify the tentative agreement made with Central Michigan University. FA President Laura Frey
declined to say where the meeting will be held, but an email obtained by Central Michigan Life says it is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days in the Lake Michigan Room of the Bovee University Center. Under terms of the new agreement, FA members are allowed to keep MESSA for health care if they absorb premium increases over the next three years. CMU’s Nov. 11 offer allowed FA members to keep MESSA only until
June 30 under certain conditions. There has been no discussion of what will happen if the members vote “no” on the contract, Frey said. The FA has not decided if it would appoint a new bargaining team in that situation. The proposed contract, however, includes no salary changes from the university’s offer made before the fall semester began. The offer would provide a 2012-13 salary increase of 1.25 per-
cent plus $830 to each member and a salary increase of 1.5 percent and $835 in 2013-14. The contract, obtained Wednesday by CM Life, also excludes College of Medicine faculty from the bargaining unit at the university’s request. Originally, CMU proposed to also exclude coaches hired after July 1, 2011, and faculty hired in any other professional program. Under the contract, CMED tuition remission would be
capped at the in-state doctoral graduate cost. Also, a study committee to review issues related to ProfEd would be created. In addition, the contract states if a faculty member goes on total disability leave, the member’s college would only be obligated to hold a tenure-track position available for two years, instead of four, in case the member returns to work. A FA | 2A
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Additional CMED funds going to research, clinical components
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What’s next after A-Senate vote against Ross, Shapiro? By Catey Traylor | Senior Reporter
Some campus leaders hope for more action while others remain neutral following the December vote of no confidence against University President George Ross and Provost Gary Shapiro. A student-led initiative presented by student Senators Christopher Benison and Michelle Campbell at an Academic Senate meeting on Dec. 7 was passed by a 52-percent majority. The symbolic motion was met with an immediate response from Central Michigan University, and the board of trustees supported the leadership of Ross and Shapiro. “The board remains confident in the leadership of Drs. Ross and Shapiro and their commitment to the academic, personal and professional success for our students,” said Sarah Opperman, former chairwoman of the board.
Student Government Association President Vincent Cavataio said the support of the board is a major component when deciding what should be done next. “Since the board acknowledged their support, I don’t see (the vote) impacting students in any way,” the Shelby Township senior said. “I don’t see anything else being done with this.” Dean Pybus, graduate coordinator of the Department of Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services, fully supports the vote against the Central Michigan University president and provost. “I was pleased to hear it was student-initiated,” he said. “I hope there is a faculty and staff-initiated motion to follow.” Cavataio said that although he saw the motion coming, he disagrees with the vote and
does not believe it will solve any of the pressing problems between the faculty and administration. “I fully expected the motion. When people are that unhappy, you can see something like this coming,” Cavataio said. “However, I don’t believe it was warranted and I don’t see it solving anything now or in the future.” Pybus said the A-Senate made the right decision based on Ross’ and Shapiro’s actions during the semester. “Ross, Shapiro and the board of trustees, through their actions, suggest that they value hoarding money for the proposed College of Medicine,” Plybus said. “This has been shown not only in their dealings with faculty, but with other employee groups on campus.” A VOTE | 2A
Increased costs realized in October By Theresa Clift Staff Reporter
Some Central Michigan University administrators knew they needed to increase the startup cost for the College of Medicine about a month before it was released to the campus community, but did not know how much. “It was realized in midOctober that additional funding would be needed to address the research and clinical components for the startup of CMED,” founding CMED Dean Ernest Yoder said in an email. “Following that, additional time was needed to clarify and expand how much additional funding would be needed.” Provost Gary Shapiro said in a release to the campus community Nov. 11 that CMU estimates the startup cost for CMED is “likely to exceed $30 million,” with an additional $3 million in annual support. The university initially set aside $25 million over five years to fund CMED startup. Original plans for a teaching-only College of Medicine did not align with revised Liason Committee on Medical Education standards, which require research and clinical components as well, Yoder said. The LCME visited campus Nov. 13 through 16 to decide
Legislation may initiate centralized university board By David Oltean Senior Reporter
A bill introduced last September that could create discussion about a centralized governing board over public universities still awaits a hearing from the Michigan Government Operations Committee. House Bill 5000, proposed by State Rep. Bob Genetski, would create an 11-member commission to evaluate the current state of public university governance. The proposed legislation would affect the 13 government-funded universities throughout Michigan, including Central Michigan University. Genetski, R-Saugatuck, said
the bill is not designed to promote a centralized governing board, but rather observe and report on the universities’ current governments. “House Bill 5000 merely initiates a discussion and forms a commission to take a look at the governance system,” Genetski said. “It doesn’t necessarily advocate for or against a centralized government system.” The commission would be limited to providing recommendations after evaluating the universities, and will not be given the power to determine the future of university governance. Genetski said after the drastic hikes in tuition at Michi-
gan’s public universities over recent years, examining university governance could help. However, Genetski said the legislation is not designed to promote any particular government system for the universities. “I don’t know if one centralized board or government for all public universities is a good idea,” Genetski said. “But I think we have to take a look at it.” Kathy Wilbur, CMU’s Vice President of Development and External Relations, said Genetski has an appropriate concern about tuition levels for Michigan universities. A BILL | 5A
if CMED will earn preliminary accreditation. “The latest cost estimates include these components Ernest Yoder with about 30 percent of the increase earmarked for research and 70 percent for clinical,” Yoder said. Shapiro told CM Life in December that CMU does not tag dollars, so he does not know how much money from tuition has gone toward funding CMED. “Although we don’t tag dollars, we have not raised tuition to pay for the College of Medicine,” he said. Total funding for CMED is coming from one-time capital reserves and operating funds that have been set aside in the operating budget for startup costs, including capital reserves budgeted in unrestricted net assets, Shapiro said in an email. The $3 million in additional support is budgeted with several other revenue streams, Shapiro said. Tuition and fees at full operation will approach $19 million a year. Clinical practice and contracts are currently at approximately $10 million a year and are expected to increase. The plan for development endowment is to reach $1 million annually. GME funding (CMED partners) is currently $17.6 million
A CMED | 2A
[INSIDE] w SGA president takes CMU PR internship, 3a w Confusion surrounds gender neutral housing at CMU, 4a w CMU to host U.S. Senate debate on Jan. 14, 9a
fILe photo BY aDaM NIeMI
Vice President of Finance and Administration David burdette, right, and Trustee William Kanine, center, during the board of Trustees meeting Sept. 22 in the President’s Conference Room in the bovee university Center.
w CMU to consider adding more women’s sports, 1B
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