Mustang Daily, January 27, 1995
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CALIFORNIA P O. L Y T E C H N I C UNIVERSITY SAN LUIS OBISPO M u s t a n g D a i i y JANUARY 27, 1995 VOLUME LIX, No. 62 FRIDAY ASI rocked by accounting takeover «a . shake up m o What triggered the Foundation takes takeover: control of all ASI What the decision • Charges of embezzlement by a former means: ASI accountant • Mismanagement of ASI funds accounts, payroll • Improper handling of personnel issues • ASI will be forced to transfer ByJennifer Oltmann during the quarter break. and payroll Daily Staff Wiiter “I’m not thrilled,” she said. accounting and payroll responsibilities to “The Foundation has never been Lack of expertise in using ASI's the Cal Poly Foundation In an announcement that customer-service oriented, when computer system shocked ASI directors into you look at the other services • Administrators say ASI will retain its silence, the board learned Wed they provide (on campus).” decision-making capacity nesday night that the Cal Poly Brown stressed, however, that Foundation will be taking control Foundation “understands our • Foundation will receive a fee from ASI of all ASI payroll and accounting philosophy of financial processes, and this is the best move for the for performing accounting services functions. Vice President for Student Af safety of students’ money,” she • Four ASI employees will be re-assigned fairs Juan Gonzalez cited inept said. handling of student money as the Brown said a contract outlin primary reason for the change. ing how much Foundation will “The university has decided to charge ASI for accounting ser have the financial operations of vices is under negotiation. ASI moved over to the Founda Brown also stressed that ASI tion auxiliary,” Gonzalez said. will retain full control of finan ASI employees to face switch of duties, desks “Under my advice, and in consul cial decisions and handling of tation with (ASI Executive Direc money, and Foundation will By Maxine Gisinger employees. tasks,” Gonzalez said. “The grow tor) Polly Harrigan, we believe provide a temporary — although Daily Copy Editor Juan Gonzalez, vice president th ASI has experienced has been that it is in the best interest of for how long is unknown — ser for student affairs, said the phenomenal. 'The reality of that (the students) and of ASI as a vice to ASI. Due to the Cal Poly Founda change not a direct attack on the is the amount of attention on corporation.” Brown and ASI Board Chair tion’s takeover of payroll and ac employees’ work. financial operations hasn’t kept Foundation is a public benefit Jon Lew were notified that the counting functions of ASI, four “This wasn’t isolated into in up with the overall scope and corporation created to support university was considering the ASI Business Office employees dividual job performances or job function of a corporation like the operation of the university. move in late December, Lew will be directly affected — they (ASI). Gonzalez said the decision said. all face a job change. “Our desire is to upgrade was made by the university to in “(We were) explaining options The Director of Finance, Ac those operations and to perform sure the integrity of student at that point, doing research,” he countant I, Accountant II and KSIDE those functions.” money and to assure that those said. the Accountant Technician will Harrigan said hiring addition funds are accounted for ap Lew said he wasn’t informed no longer be solely carrying out • The legal ramifications al staff to help with the heavy propriately. that a final decision had been the responsibilities of managing of the decision, p. 2 workload wasn’t an option. ASI President Erica Brown made until a meeting between ASI’s funds. Because this is a • How the change will “It’s more a matter of timing,” expressed discontent with the top ASI officers, Gonzalez, Vice personnel matter, ASI Executive she said. “We need immediate announcement — although she President for Administration and Director Polly Harrigan refused impact ASI programs, p. 3 business functions and said she learned of the situation See ASI, page 3 to disclose the names of the See EMPLOYEES, page 2 Fetzer’s tenure bid stalled by disputeProsecutor attacks defense By Maria T. Garcia Daily Staff Wiiter witnesses in Simpson trial The fate of Cal Poly political science professor Phil Fetzer’s By Linda Deutsch the jurors’ right to the truth,” career now lies in the hands of Associoted Press a fuming Deputy District At an arbitration hearing set for torney Marcia Clark said. March. LOS ANGELES — O.J. “They’ve been lied to, they’ve According to a press con Simpson’s attorney lied to been deceived, they’ve gotten ference held in Bishop’s Lounge jurors about witnesses and hid half-truths from counsel, they Thursday by members of a com evidence, prosecutors con have deliberately shown them mittee formed to support Fetzer’s tended Thursday as they im items taken out of context.” bid for tenure, Fetzer filed an of plored the judge for a 30-day Clark and Deputy District ficial grievance with the univer delay and a chance to offer a Attorney Christopher Darden sity last spring. new opening statement. accused the defense of miscon- The grievance was set to go to “Morally, it’s a violation of See SIMPSON, page 5 arbitration. However, Fetzer and the California Faculty Associa tion were later notified by Cal INSIDE TODAY'S MUSTANG DAILY Poly that a request for arbitra tion had missed an important filing deadline when it arrived History Professor Donald Grinde, Foreign Languages Professor Gloria Da\\Ti PilLsbury wonders late in the mail. Velasquez and Philosophy Professor Laurence Houlgafe give an update on Phil Fetzer said the actual dates Fetzer's tenure status at a press conference. Fetzer, a political science profes how anyone can survive llie are still in dispute. sor, is appealing a tenure denial / Daily photo by Juan Martinez “Originally (the university) ‘criminal assault’ of the mall said it was three days late,” Fet committee. for comment. Daniel Howard- zer said. But he also has been This hearing will examine in Greene, Executive Assistant to told the deadline was missed by detail the university’s allegation President Warren Baker, had no Rainy weather and soggy only one day, thus creating the of a late filing. comment since the matter is cur fields, courts set back dispute. To the committee, that allega rently in grievance proceedings. However, Fetzer said his tion is seen as “an attempt by the The committee, which formed practice for spring sports union filed the grievance within last year after Fetzer was denied Rwdilnq Us________________ the time allotted. university to either delay or SWIflTS tenure, is made up of Committee G raphic A rts , 226 C al Poly As a result, the union now has sabotage the entire arbitration process.” Chair and foreign languages ■¡■W om en’s tennis ready Sa n Luis O bispo , CA 9 34 07 been forced into a hearing which Advertising: 756-1143 Vice President for Academic professor Gloria Velasquez, his will decide if Fetzer’s case will U | to ace opponents in Editorial: 756-1796 even be allowed to go to arbitra Affairs Robert Koob is out of tory professors Donald Grinde tion, according to the faculty town and could not be reached See FETZER, page 6 move to Division I Fax: 756-6784 2 FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 1995 .shakeup MUSTANG DAILY i n o JAN. FRIDAY 27 J7 school days remaining in winter ijiuirter. ASI account-transfer meets CSU guidelines TODAY'S WEATHER: High clouds By Garrett M. Mettler fairs” within ASI because of on TOMORROW'S WEATHER: High Clouds Daily Staff Wiitei going investigations into alleged Today's high/low: 62/42 Tomorrow's high/low: 64/NA "Everything we ore doing improprieties by former ASI The decision to transfer ac conforms with state law." employees. He did say that those counting and payroll operations alleged improprieties included of ASI accounts to the Cal Poly Juan Gonzales accusations of embezzlement Open House poster contest Foundation is both legal and in directed at a former ASI account The Open House Committee is sponsoring a posterthe best interests of the stu Vice President for Student Affairs ant last fall. dents, according to Vice Presi Another consideration made contest for Cal Poly's Open House weekend, April 21 dent for Student Affairs Juan by the university before an and 22. Gonzalez. “Whether or not outsourcing nouncing this decision was the “We felt that with the state of (ASI accounting operations) to legal aspect of the plan. rhe poster will be judged on three different areas: afTairs within the ASI organiza the Foundation will be in the “Evei7thing we are doing con • C'omnuinicate the theme "Avenues of Innovation, tion we needed to insure ... the best interest of the students has forms with state law,” Gonzalez safety of student funds,” he said. not been determined,” Lew said. said. Roads to Discovery." But ASI Board Chair John Gonzalez declined to comment The applicable section of the • Artistic equality and aesthetics. Lew is not completely convinced. specifically on the “state of af See GUIDELINES, page 3 • Fitting the spirit of Cal Poly and Open House. I he contest will be judged by artists in San Luis EMPLOYEES: Review of employees triggered by embezzlement probe Obispo. The winning poster will be used to advertise Open House. For more information, call 756-7576. From page 1 correct move,” he said. said he thinks their new posi procedures.” Gonzalez said he doesn’t want tions may be similar to the work The deadline for entries is Feb.