THE October 6, 1988 Vol. 87, No. 12
,ITISTA
Thursday Edition
Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma
Groups violating Oklahoma law?
An aerial view of Central State University shows the size of campus in 1988. (Photo by Dagmar Peery)
Senate okays appointees By Mark Mitchell Student Writer The Central State University Student Senate met Monday and approved presidential appointees to the senate. Supreme Court Justice Jeanie Bernardy swore in the new senators, including Angela Helmig, Monte Townsend, and Julie Conatser from the College of Business; Darrel Ferguson from the College of Education; Bret Purser and
Howard Pelphrey from the College of Liberal Arts; and Hazel Lynch, Math and Computer Science. Terry LaFrance, an appointee, was given a "Do Pass" by the Continuum Committee, which deals with the internal functions of the senate, but approval by the senate is still pending. All of the new senators were appointees with the exception of Purser, and Pelphrey, who were
elected in the general election Sept. 26. Helmig, Conatser and Ferguson were unable to meet with the Continuum Committee, which would ordinarily make recommendations to the assembly concerning presidential appointments. Lisa Coen, CSU Student Association President, requested that the assembled members handle the interview process because Please see Senate on page 8.
Water, sewer rates raised By Jett Dempsey Student Writer In a divided effort, the Edmond City Council voted 3-2 Monday night to increase water and sewer rates including those at Central State University. Philip Arnold, assistant vice president for administration, said it is always a problem when rates go up, but that he didn't have enough information on the final plan to know how it would affect the budget. "At this point, it does impact the budget, but it's in good enough shape to handle it in the short run. But in the long run, we're looking at pretty big numbers. I suppose they will give us figures, then we'll be able to make calculations," said Arnold. Nick Widener, comptroller, said that the increases won't affect CSU's budget largely now, but could later. "We plan for things like that in the budget, but if they (the council) go into a phase two (more rate increases), it could affect the budget in the long haul," said Widener. The adopted plan calls for a 35 percent increase in water rates and a 49 percent sewer rate increase. The rate increases are to begin this month and continue for a year. Council said that in six months the situation will be reviewed to
see if a larger increase is needed. Edmond's public utilities have been in debt for some time. Costs of operating the water and sewer systems have increased substantially over the past two years. Ward 4 Councilman Buddy Morris said that the main reason is the new water plant at Arcadia Lake. Morris, who voted for the increase, said that building the Arcadia plant created a $24 million debt. Because of more debt, the plant has had to operate yearround rather than the projected four months out of the year, thus creating more costs. "We've got an octopus out there, and it's eating us alive on
costs," said Morris. The council had also discussed the possibility of issuing bonds or the raising of sales tax by a penny to generate money for public utilities. The bond issue died quickly, as did the sales tax issue. Said one member of the audience: "I do not want to pay for somebody else's green lawn!" Morris and Councilmen Tom Kennedy and Mitch Harris voted in favor of the increase. Councilman Randel Shadid and Mayor Carl Reheman opposed the vote. The mayor complained that the measure did not let the water and sewer departments become selfsufficient.
By Valli Covert Associate Editor Are Central State University's Student Senate and Residence Halls Association in violation of Oklahoma's Open Meeting Act? Ned Bastow, an assistant state attorney general, said he believed the student senate and the Residence Halls Association at CSU are in violation of the Open Meetings Act by not filing the required notices with the Secretary of State, although he has not conducted an investigation into the matter. Student government associations and residence halls associations are considered subentities of the Board of Higher Education and are subject to Oklahoma's Open Meeting Act, according to Attorney General opinion 79-134. According to the act, all public bodies must give notice in writing by December 15 of each year for the following years' regularly scheduled meet ings. The Open Meetings Act specifies that all meetings of public bodies shall be held at specified times and places which are convenient and open to the public. All state public bodies are required to give notice to the secretary of state, and all county public bodies shall give notice to the county clerk, according to the act. The Act also specifies meetings shall be preceded by advance public notice specifying the time and place of each meeting, as well
as the subject matters to be considered at the meeting. Agendas are required to be posted 24 hours in advance of all regularly scheduled meetings, and 48 hours in advance of all special or reconvened meetings. CSU's student senate does post the required agendas, but according to Darlene Adams of the secretary of state's office, there is nothing to indicate any organization at CSU has filed the required notices. Linda Birdsong, deputy (Oklahoma) county clerk searched for anything under CSU and could find nothing listed. "We do not have anything for Central State at all. The warrant desk is where these (notices) are filed," she said. One of the entities that has filed with the county clerk is OU's Oklahoma City Campus Health Science Center, Birdsong said. Some universities and colleges that have filed notices with the secretary of state records office are; Carl Albert Junior College, Eastern Oklahoma State College, Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma. The Board of Regents for Oklahoma Colleges has also filed notices of meetings with the state. Dudley Ryan, dean of students at CSU, said he was aware of the attorney general's opinion and would remind the student senate and Residence Halls Association of it. Ryan said he was not aware Please see Groups on page 8.
Student wins lawsuit; damages awarded By Valli Covert Associate Editor A graduate of Central State University won a civil lawsuit against another student Tuesday in Oklahoma County District Court. Mark Beutler had sued Clark Powell for about $75,000 in actual and punitive damages stemming from an altercation the two had in June of 1987 while working at KCSU.
Beutler, Powell and another student, Brian Shipman, were at the television station and a confrontation ensued. Beutler said he was trapped, and Powell hit him in the nose while Shipman held him. Powell said he was shoved by Beutler into a wall. Beutler's nose was broken according to CSU police Chief Bob Roberts. Beutler had to have two Please see Lawsuit on page 8.
Freshman Gazell Hughes shares her umbrella during recent bad weather, with senior Marie Culbertson. (Photo by Dagmar Peery)