Eastern Illinois University The Keep June 1997 6-25-1997 Daily Eastern News: June 25, 1997 Eastern Illinois University Follow this and additional works at: http://thekeep.eiu.edu/den_1997_jun Recommended Citation Eastern Illinois University, "Daily Eastern News: June 25, 1997" (1997). June. 5. http://thekeep.eiu.edu/den_1997_jun/5 This is brought to you for free and open access by the 1997 at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in June by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CHANCE OF T-STORMS Big time A high of 90º The INSIDE Bubba? Daily Austin Peay’s Bubba Eastern Wells hopes to The Boys get picked in WEDNESDAY Eastern Illinois University tonight’s NBA Charleston, Ill. 61920 of Summer June 25, 1997 draft. Vol. 82, No. 156 AVP Volleyball is not just a 8 pages West Coast sport anymore — PAGE it’s invading the Midwest. News 8 PAGE 5 “Tell the truth and don’t be afraid” Nelsen says ‘loyalty’ was part of firing Former academic computing director refused to write recommendation letter By DAN FIELDS associate vice president not necessary.” Olsen) wanted. I guess I thought they wanted Editor in chief for information tech- I really can’t tell you Nelsen said he, along me to make a statement of loyalty.” nology services and with the Faculty Senate, Nelsen said he can’t pinpoint specifically If you were told by your boss to write a Morgan Olsen, vice (because) it’s in the minds thought it was in the why he was fired, saying that “I really can’t recommendation with your name on it, but president for business “of other people. They don’t have university’s best inter- tell you (because) it’s in the minds of other disagreed with its contents, would you still affairs, were the ones a“ reason.” ests to move academic people. They don’t have to have a reason.” follow through on the order? that made the request. - Harry Nelsen, computing to the aca- But he does have a few ideas. Harry Nelsen didn’t. And as a result, he But Nelsen said the on reasons for his firing demic affairs division. “The only two things I heard was (lack of) was fired from his position as the director of Faculty Senate wanted “The Faculty Senate teamwork and gross insubordination,” academic computing June 12. just him to make the said there was some- Nelsen said. Tuesday, Nelsen said that he refused to recommendation independently, without the thing wrong with the way academic tech- Nelsen said he doesn’t have any regrets on write a letter to the Faculty Senate recom- input of others. nology is and said it needs to be decen- what he did, adding that his job was to make mending that academic computing should “I knew what the Faculty Senate was tralized,” Nelsen said. “In order to further that a recommendation based on his own opinion, continue to fall under the branch of Eastern’s talking about in that they wanted an issue of process, academic computing needs to be put not others. business affairs division. support,” Nelsen said. “I was being required in academic affairs and not in business affairs. “I was doing my job, saying what I felt Nelsen said his bosses, Dave Henard, the to say what the Faculty Senate wanted was “I couldn’t write the paper (Henard and See NELSEN page 2 Faculty Senate updated on Edgar’s funding plans System (SURS) participants to retire without a Permission given reduction in benefits at any age; the increase of awards cap to 80 percent of the participant’s final salary; the change of the graduated formula for Nelsen to speak for benefits to 2.2 percent of the participant’s final salary; the requirement of contributions to at July 15 meeting health insurance coverage for participants retiring after Jan. 1 and have worked for less By JOHN BATES than 20 years; and the termination of future Staff writer accrual of compensable sick leave starting in January. Eastern Lobbyist Chris Merrifield updated ■ the Faculty Senate pending bills of importance State Bill 665, which also has an effect on to Eastern Tuesday afternoon in the BOG Room the pension plan. It allows SURS to implement of the Library. an optional defined contribution retirement plan. ■ “I think we were more successful than not,” House Bills 190 and 878 allow individual Merrifield said regarding action in the recently to prepay the tuition for a specified individual ended legislation session. “I was disappointed under a payment plan. ■ with the cuts in higher education.” House Bill 923 allows student members of The Illinois General Assembly has a university’s board of trustees to vote and appropriated $41,870,400 to Eastern for fiscal specifies the requirements for student year 1998, up approximately $2 million from representatives. fiscal year 1997 – but less than what Gov. Jim ■ House Bill 1525 requires state universities Edgar had recommended. to waive 50 percent of the tuition for children of All state universities received less than university employees that have been employed Edgar’s recommendations with the exception of for seven years. Chicago State. All bills are awaiting Edgar’s approval or Bills passed by the General Assembly that rejection. Merrifield discussed include: In other business, the Senate will invite Harry ■ House Bill 110, a bill affecting the current Nelsen, former director of academic computing, JOHN BATES/Photo editor Eastern Lobbyist Chris Merrifield discussed recent bills passed by the Illinois pension plan. It would include the phase-in of a to speak before the next Senate meeting July 15. General Assembly at the Faculty Senate meeting Tuesday. provision allowing State University Retirement Nelsen was fired from his post on June 12. Tree removal uprooting controversy on campus By KARA TONEY Silver maple, Blue kind on campus, across from Lawson Hall. Approximately 67 Staff writer spruce, and a Red Eastern has such a beautiful was the American new trees will be planted, including four cedar. campus and that’s mostly elm. Hybrid elm trees, which are the only elms The trees that have been cut down on Some people Most elms, includ- resistant to the Dutch elm disease. campus have created quite a controversy, were particularly “because of the landscaping, which is ing the tree removed, The planting of the new trees has failed to resulting in more than half a dozen people disturbed by the why“ I don’t like to see big, beautiful have been effected appease some people’s views of the old trees voicing their concerns about four trees that removal of the trees being cut down.” by the Dutch elm being cut. have been removed. American elm, - Joan Henn, disease. The disease “The 67 new trees will not look like the “When people see large trees cut down, it which was located associate professor of mathematics is caused by fungus ones they cut down for a long, long time,” creates quite a concern,” Jon Collins, south of Old carried by elm bark said Joan Henn, associate professor of superintendent of grounds, said Tuesday. Main. The area beatles and smaller mathematics. “Eastern has such a The four trees were cut down “to beautify where it stood will be replaced with a patio European bark beatles. The disease causes beautiful campus and that’s mostly the parking lots with landscaping being surrounded by smaller trees. the elm to die within four to eight weeks. because of the landscaping, which is why done in association with parking lot fees.” The tree which created the most Collins said that new landscaping will be I don’t like to see big, beautiful trees Collins said. The trees removed include a controversy, since it was the only one of its done in areas around University Court and being cut down.” 2 Wednesday, June 25, 1997 The Daily Eastern News SpotlightSpotlight NewsNews Well-rounded people suffer Prom teen charged less from colds, study says CHICAGO (AP) – Not only is variety the spice of and involved keeps a person’s immune system strong. life, it could protect you from the common cold. Cohen also suggested that involved people take People involved in a variety of activities such as good care of themselves because they believe their with baby’s murder work, church, family, soccer and barber shop quartets lives have meaning. FREEHOLD, N.J. (AP) – A and stood before a judge Tuesday get fewer colds than those who are exposed to the Scientists at Carnegie Mellon, the University of teen-ager who gave birth at her to face the charges of murder and same number of people but have only a few things to Pittsburgh and the University of Virginia gave 276 prom and then returned to the endangering the welfare of a occupy them, according to a study. healthy volunteers cold viruses. They found that peo- dance floor was charged with child. The findings, published in Wednesday’s issue of ple with few social outlets were four times as likely to murder Tuesday after an autopsy If convicted, Drexler could get The Journal of the American Medical Association, get sick as people busy with six or more activities. concluded the baby was strangled life in prison. Prosecutors said bolster the notion that mental well-being affects phys- “With each added relationship you have, the less or suffocated in a plastic bag they do not plan to seek the death ical health. likely you are to become ill,’’ Cohen said. taken from the sanitary-napkin penalty. “Someone who works, has a family and goes bowl- Cohen said researchers tested participants and ruled receptacle in the bathroom.