Western Front - 1975 April 8

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Budget proposals
look lean for Western
DENNIS RITCHIE
WESTERN MAY BE in store for two
more years of poverty. A proposal under
consideration by the state legislature
would fund Western at about the same
low levels as the past two years.
The appropriations for West ern in
the Washington House leadership's pro­posed
budget forf the 1975-77 biennium
appear to dampen prospects that West­ern
could adequately fund its present
programs.
The budget proposal is $944,000 less
than the governor had asked for West­ern.
In the past two years, the college has
had to devise a Reduction-in-Force (RIF)
policy to meet budget cuts. Although
another year of RIF may be avoided,
funds for faculty will probably be low.
The most important and potentially
harmful cut is in the faculty formula, a
method of figuring out an ideal student-teacher
ratio. The proposal reduced
the governor's suggested 75 per cent of
formula level to 72*per cent.
Each per cent is the equivalent of six
faculty positions. Western operated at
86 per cent of formula last year and is
operating at 70 per cent this year.
Many units of the college had been
hoping for 75 per cent of formula in order
to fund their special projects. Athletics
and a proposed doctorate in educational
psychology had been expected to depend
on a higher level of funding.
HOPE IS NOT dead for a higher per
cent of formula. Legislative lobbyists for
state colleges and universities are fight­ing
for the higher figure.
Bellingham Sen. H. A. "Barney" Goltz
said he thought there would be a real
effort on the floor of the House and
Senate to push for 75 per cent of
formula.
The fight for more funding will face an
extremely difficult uphill battle against
the strong contention of legislators to
avoid a tax increase.
A. N. "Bud" Shinpoch, Chairman of
the House Ways and Means Appropria­tions
Committee and one of the chief
architects of the proposed budget, has
stated no amendment causing a tax
increase will have a chance of getting
into the budget bill'.
A tuition increase could prove to be a
way of getting more money.for higher
education. Altghough a bill to increase
tuition and fees has been killed in com­mittee,
there is a strong possibility that
legislators may say that a tuition hike is
necessary if the colleges are to receive
any more money than proposed.
That attitude may not win, Goltz said.
"People (legislators) would view a tui­tion
increase as a tax increase. It would
Erobably be defeated" if the intent is to
old the tax line.
WESTERN DID NOT do too well on
other aspects of the proposed budget,
which is expected to reach the House
floor this week.
Proposals for funding of the Fairhaven
Bridge Project for senior citizens were
dropped, as well as funding for the
aquatics studies program at Sundquist
Laboratory in Anacortes.
Funds for fixed costs such as utilities
and telephones, unemployment compen­sation
and campus security were re­duced
to less than requested by the
college.
UNEOTLOYMENT CLAIMS that
the college must pay from the previous
biennium were slashed.
This leaves Western short
$112,000, Business Manager Don Cole
said.
The finances cut from campus security
were described as an "oversight by the
governor's budget committee," and
should be restored, he said.
Restoration of fixed costs for tele­phones
and ujtilities shows little chance
of being increased, however.
"This year hasn't been a pleasant one
for Western," Cole said, "and this
proposal keeps us in the same situation.
It doesn't afford flexibility or growth,
nor does it allow for the addition of new
faculty."
For related stories, see page 2. p western * front TUESDAY, April 8,1975 Vol. 67 No. 34
Recycle all paper
New vice president named
A new college vice president
has been appointed to fill what
will probably be a very dusty
seat left vacant in December by
the resignation of Jerry Ander­son.
Loren Webb, speech professor
and director of Western s speech
and hearing clinic, was named
acting vice president at the
Board of Trustees meeting
Thursday in Seattle.
Webb was appointed on an
interim basis for one year, begin­ning
this July 1.
Whether Webb will accept the
position is not yet known. He is
currently on sabbatical leave in
Europe, and as of the Thursday
meeting the board had received
no answer to a cable sent by
College President Charles J.
Flora. Attempts to contact Flora
on Sunday to verify the appoint­ment
were unsuccessful.
Webb, who has been here since
1965, was one of several candi­dates
for the position. As stipu­lated
by incoming president Paul
Olscamp, Webb will not be a
candidate for the permanent vice
presidential position.
inside...
Frontscopfc Spirituality
Today's Frontscope takes a wide view of spirituality and its various forms. See page 7.
Student employment change considered
Several proposals concerning the student employment policy will be discussed
tomorrow. The changes would affect approximately 800 to 1000 students working on
campus. See page 18.
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PUBLICITY STUNT - A potentially dangerous helicopter landing
took place at Soccer Field, South of Arntzen Hall on Friday. The
helicopter, a Huey IB Model from the 92nd Reserve Aviation
Company, carried two Everett Army Recruiters, marking the
beginning of a Western-Army educational progam.