Washington University Record, February 10, 1977

Washington University School of Medicine Digital Commons@Becker Washington University Record Washington University Publications 2-10-1977 Washington University Record, February 10, 1977 Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/record Recommended Citation "Washington University Record, February 10, 1977" (1977). Washington University Record. Book 65. http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/record/65 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington University Publications at Digital Commons@Becker. It has been accepted for inclusion in Washington University Record by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Becker. For more information, please contact [email protected]. sutotecofH Published For The Washington University Community ^R ^B February 10, 1977 WU Officials Trying To Recover Losses At Medical School University officials are continuing their efforts to recover losses incurred as a result of alleged financial abuses by a high-ranking employe of the Medical School's Department of Surgery. The case of alleged wrong-doing, which involves former business manager of the Department of Surgery Betty Zane Naes, was investigated by University officials and auditors after another employe in the Department reported the occur- rence of some alleged abuses in Herb Weilman November, 1975. Naes was promptly Allen lrby, assistant senior engineer at WU's Hilltop Power Plant, keeps a coal-burning boiler stoked up for dismissed and the subsequent use. Plant officials were waiting for a call from Laclede Gas about possible reductions in gas supplies. investigation indicated that possible misuse of funds included, but was not Higher Fuel Costs, Inconveniences Accompany limited to, the payment of $50,000 by payroll checks to two persons not per- Winter Weather's Unusual Cold and Snow forming services for the University, an Compared with some other university's Power Plant, have jumped 44 per unauthorized trip to London by Naes sities that have had to shut their doors cent so far this year over last year's, at the University's expense, non- temporarily or reduce temperatures to and, even though regulated by Mis- compliance with University bidding below 60 degrees because of gas and souri's Public Service Commission, procedures in the awarding of con- coal shortages, WU has fared rela- will probably continue to increase on a struction contracts to a friend's firm, tively well during this winter's unusual monthly basis. The University's Hill- charging personal long distance calls dips in temperature and onslaughts of top Power Plant spent an increased to the University and failure to snow and ice. $19,000 on gas during December and account for a substantial advance Fuel supplies have been adequate if January even though the amount of travel payment that she obtained carefully-controlled, no major gas used was reduced with increased shortly before her dismissal. weather-related accidents, either to amounts of coal being substituted. The Last March, a St. Louis City Circuit automobiles or to persons, have been Euclid Plant spent $94,000 more this Court grand jury indicted Naes on six reported, and alternatives to supplies year on gas. counts of stealing over $50. The indict- of salt, ice-bound on barges in the Although coal prices have not ment charges her with approving pay- middle of the Mississippi River, have increased radically for the past three ments to herself of $5400 for boarding been found. The greatest burden to years, the University, on the Hilltop nonexistent dogs at her farm near bear, in addition to the winter-time Campus alone, spent $26,000 more for Beaufort, Missouri. She has pleaded doldrums, may be the impact of coal in December and January this not guilty to the charges. increased fuel usage and prices on the season than last year. Flynn explained Peter Ruger, WU General Counsel, University's budget. that coal is being used in larger said that normal legal procedures were Figures recently tabulated show amounts than normal at the request of being followed in the prosecution of that utilities, including gas, coal and Laclede Gas, WU's gas supplier. the case. Evidence gathered by electricity, have cost the University "Usually we burn mostly gas and a University auditors was turned over to approximately $178,000 more during small proportion of coal," he said. the Office of the Circuit Attorney of December, 1976, and January, 1977, "This year we are burning more coal the City of St. Louis. In addition, the than during the same two months last because gas supplies are limited." insurance company bonding Univer- year. Of that amount, $52,000 was If gas supplies would be signifi- sity employes may bring a civil action spent for utilities at the Hilltop Power cantly reduced in the St. Louis area, against Naes to recover the financial Plant, with the other $126,000 spent at Flynn said that the University could losses suffered by the University. the University's Euclid (Medical heat campus buildings fairly effective- At present, Ruger said, the trial has School) Power Plant. ly by burning even more coal. been delayed because of a dispute con- Natural gas prices, according to In an effort to conserve energy, (Conlinued on page 4) Robert Flynn, manager of the Univer- (Continued on page 3) Elmer Spies, Dust Dies (Almost) in WU's Student Radio Drama The rigors of academic life can hamper creative flights of fancy like the caging of so many high-flying birds. For at least four WU students, however, academic tasks seem only to serve as tinder for their imaginations. Sophomores John Barnes, David Lathrop, Greg Tiede and junior Neil Caesar set the tapes in motion last semester at WU's radio station KWUR with an original, 1970's spy series, "Elmer Rungate, Agent of Trikon." This semester the series will again be carried by KWUR beginning Tues., Feb. 15. The Monday through Friday drama will be broadcast at a new time, 10:30 p.m. The four, as founders and now as board members of Missouri Theatre of the Air, a WU group whose pur- Richard /V. Levine pose is to promote the development of Take cover! Here comes Dr. Dust. An episode of "Elmer Rungate, Agent of Trikon" is recorded at new radio drama, hope "Elmer" will KWDR's studio (from left to right) by Greg Tiede, as the narrator, Britt Thomas, sophomore, as the second be only the first of a number of mate on Trikon's submarine, the Hornet, Neil Caesar, as Elmer, and David Lathrop, as the first mate. student-originated dramatic works for take over the world. books from the '30's and listening to radio. Lathrop, a drama major and The main agents of Trikon repre- old series' tapes, "Elmer" is, Barnes the series' director last semester, urges sent the three countries. Russian agent said, definitely a product of the 1970's. students with ideas to call him. Dmitri Josipovitch Malensky is the "Our plot and characters are more "Elmer" grew out of an idea for a quintessential Renaissance man, who complex than those in '30's dramas, pulp magazine serial by versatile seldom falters when grappling with where the good guys were usually Barnes, whose double major in physics world crises, but trembles to his socks clean-cut and ate Wheaties and the and technology and human affairs when confronted with women. Ling bad guys were either gangsters or doesn't prevent him from writing Tsen, female and Chinese, holds 17 Orientals. Our villains must be univer- poetry, acting in stage productions degrees, five of them doctorates, sally evil, second cousins to Satan." and reading encyclopedias as if they speaks beyond the comprehension of How to actually produce a radio were Captain Marvel comic books, everyone, but is hopeless with a gun. series was learned by the four the hard (one of the sources of some pretty American agent Elmer Rungate, the but perhaps best way—in the studio. esoteric material in "Elmer"). series' namesake, is a crack shot and a Tiede, a chemical engineering major, "The establishment of KWUR highly trained sleuth who effectively the series' director this semester, casts made the four of us, who are all fingers villains. Elmer, however, also characters and decides what sound friends and who have all had theatre has some idiosyncrasies—an apart- effects will be needed, and then brings experience, want to revitalize radio ment as disordered as Fibber McGee's everything together at the recording ses- drama," Barnes said. "Almost closet and culinary tastes that include sions. Sound effects— some live, (the nothing new has been done in the cherry pizza and peanut butter-cottage group has acquired a blank gun this medium since the 1930's when it was cheese sandwiches. semester),—and some already recorded at its peak." Although the sources of evil that on a set of well-worn 78's owned by The four pooled their thoughts over Trikon agents battle vary, the series' KWUR, are taped with the voices. a few dinners together and came up arch villain is a mysterious Dr. Dust, Others are "mixed" in later. with a general outline of the "Elmer" who seemingly defies death. An extra-added attraction on the series, which includes six adventures Gags, particularly WU-related, series this semester will be original to date, broken down into fifteen- provide some dependable dashes of theme music, composed by Caesar, an minute daily episodes. Barnes, who humor to what is essentially a serious English major who also plays trumpet served as chief script writer last spy drama. In the series' first adven- in the University's Wind Ensemble. semester, also functioned as chief ture "Deep Freeze" (which ended "Recorded music will still be used for scenarist, a job he is still responsible before Christmas and was not related suspense, but our theme, which is for this semester.

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