Indian 1977-02-04

              The INDIAN
Vol. JIXX^I No. 9
Siena College, Loudonville, N.Y. 12211
February 4,1977
Natural gas crisis: cutdown or sliutdown?
By SUE REILLY News Editor
Due to the natural gas shortage, ex¬ tensive cutbacks in the use of heat have been made on the Siena campus. College president Fr. Hugh Hines stated Monday that Siena Hall would be closed at night and on weekends, effective immediately, to conserve fuel. He added that plans to hold all evening classes in Roger Bacon would be implemented this week if studies show there is ample classroom space for this purpose. Although Siena Hall and Roger Bacon both run on natural gas, the latter building has superior insulation. (Other buildings on campus which rely on natural gas are the dormitories, the cafeteria, and the Campus Center. The library, ARC, and quonset huts are heated by oil.)
According to Father Hines, there are
no immediate plans to close down the school. He explained that Governor Carey's mandated closings were directed solely toward the state's primary and secondary schools, and at present the only colleges that have shut down are those where the majority of students are commuters.
Fr. Hines explained that the problems which would be caused by closing presently outweigh any advantages. The minimum requirements for class time would have to be met by holding classes on Saturdays, shortening Easter vaca¬ tion, or postponing final exams for the spring semester until the week before commencement.
Other disadvantages cited by Father Hines were the expenses which students would incur by travelling home for an extended time period, and the interrup¬
tion  of  the   continuity  of  students' education.
The president stated that measures were not taken to call off classes because this would have a minimal effect in reducing gas usage. The three dormitory buildings are the major users of heat. According to Father Hines, if this alternative had been followed, Slena Hall still would have needed heat so that administrative offices, which employ a total of thirty people in non-teaching positions, could continue to function.
Bill Haas, director of Siena's mainte¬ nance department, stated that a reduc¬ tion of over 10 per cent in heating had been implemented during the course of the past two weeks. The effort began with reduction at low usage periods in the buildings heated by natural gas and now has proceeded to the point where temperatures have been lowered in all
the buildings in which gas is the prime source of heat. Last weekend, a virtually complete shutdown of all classroom buildings was put into effect.
Haas stated that the emergency nature of the situation had progressed to the point where gas company representa¬ tives do not write, but phone, information on a day-to-day basis due to new devel¬ opments which are constantly occurring. As of Monday, January 31, the Niagara- Mohawk power company, source of, Siena's natural gas, had given no indication of how long their supply would last. Haas said, "At this point, they just aren't commenting."
The uncertainty of the entire situation was summed up by Father Hugh Hines's comment, "Right now we are taking a wait-and-see attitude. Any future deci¬ sions will have to be based on Governor Carey, the Niagara-Mohawk power company, and the weather."
TAP cuts discriminatory to private education
rtSCI Governor Carey has called foi cutsTn ttie tuition Assistance Program of $40.8 million, while Increasing the overall appropriations to higher education.
In his Executive Budget, made public last week, the Governor proposed five changes to the TAP program which will have a profound impact on all college students in New York State. They are the following:
1 - Reinstatement, except for veterans, of the January l, 1974 graduation date for eligibility for the higher $1,500 award scale;
2 - Establishing drastically reduced award schedules for single emancipated students;
3 - Limiting tuition assistance grants to students enrolled in associate or master degree programs to four semester pay- nnents;
4 - Reducing lower division TAP awards by $100 when tuition Is less than $1,500; and,
5 - Adding to net taxable Income for TAP grant purposes any income students receive from the Federal Basic Educa¬ tional Opportunity Grant, Social Secur¬ ity, and Veteran Education Benefits.
Of the five, the reinstatement of the January 1, 1974 graduation date and the new award schedule for single emanci¬
pated students will have the most pro¬ found effect on students In the Indepen¬ dent sector. These changes discriminate against older students, a high proportion of whom are women returning to college, minority students and both men and women who have been hit by the state's economic recession and are counting upon additional education as a means of regaining employment. According to Barry Fleishman, Direc¬
tor of Operations of ISC, the Governor's proposed cuts would have a particularly severe Impact upon independent sector students because spiraling Inflation cau¬ sing rising tuition have all but closed the doors of the Independent sector to a vast majority of the state's students. The Governor's budget does begin to equalize the burden among identical Income students from the various sectors by proposing the State University students
contribute at least $100 to their tuition after the application of TAP assistance. But the Governor does not channel any of these savings back Into the program for students who need additional assistance. "Without that additional assistance," Fleishman added, "choice in higher education institutions will become an Utopian myth." Substantiating Fleishman's remarks is Continued on Page Five
Winter Weekend slated Feb. 24-27
By LORI COLLINS StaH Writer
in case anyone hasn't noticed by now, Ifs winter! In honor of the occasion, the Student Senate Is going to sponsor a Winter Weekend on February 24-27. The event is still In the planning stages, but a tentative schedule Is outlined below.
The weekend will begin on Thursday, February 24, with a "Slena Night at the Rafters," sponsored by the Class Organi¬
zational Committee. The night will be similar to the one held during Senior Week last year.
On Friday night, the Commuter Life and Resident Life Committees will co- sponsor d "Night at the Races." Every¬ one who attended this event last year knows how much fun it is, and for the "amateur gambler," ifs ' good opportu¬ nity to see how well he or she can pick the winner. Great prizes, donated by local
Inside
King Kong review.. .p. 4
Bouton to speak.. .p. 5 SKI ALTERNATiVES...p. 6
Division I victory...p. 7
Siena announces $300 hike
By ELLEN PAIGE Editor-in-Chief
Tuition and residence increases total¬ ing $300, effective the summer 1977 term, were announced this week by President Hugh Hines, OFM. For full time students the tuition will be increased by $250 to $2555 a year, and residence charges will increase $50 a year to $1635. Also, science lab fees will increase from $15 to $20 per credit hour and the computer science lab fee will increase from $40 to $50 per lab hour.
In an explanatory letter to be mailed to all parents, Hines cited that the increase was made after a careful study by faculty, students, administrators and members of the Board of Trustees; but increased expenses such as heating, salaries, replacement of equipment and mandated expenses necessitated the In¬
creases. "Just as the weather Is affecting our operation, so have other uncontroll¬ able expenses such as increases in Social Security payments," stated Hines.
Hines, however, pinpointed key areas which serve in defraying college costs, which Include the contributorlal services of the Franciscan Friars, gifts from the Alumni and Annual Funds, and grants. Stated Hines, "We are very concerned about pricing ourselves out of existence, but right now we're still in a competitive position. Our budget is balanced."
Fr. Hines has also been meeting with state legislators and government offi¬ cials on preventing Gov. Carey's pro¬ posed education cuts from passing the legislature. If successful, this would protect the present funding which Siena is presently receiving from the TAP program.
merchants, will be up for bids by the lucky track-goers. An exciting evening of racing, gambling, and the chance to win is what the "Races" are all about. Refreshments will be available.
After the track closes, the action will move downstairs to the Rat. A free band will be sponsored by the Entertainment Committee.
On Saturday, It'll be time to get out In the snow! The Senate will sponsor a "Snow Sculpture Contest." Judges will be Carl Weiss and Fr. Murphy of the Fine Arts Department, and a prize will be awarded for the best sculpture. Interested groups of artists should see Tom McElveny (Ryan-372) about regis¬ tering a group and idea for ttie contest.
Later on, a pre-game "Happy Hour" will take place in the Rat before the Siena-F.D.U. game. The contest, which is the last home t>asketball game of the season, will begin at 8 p.m. In the ARC. The Alumni Association will continue the festivities in the cafeteria with their Post-game Party. Students are invited to meet and t>e merry with the alumni.
On Sunday afternoon, a "Broomball Tournament" will be held. Prizes will be awarded to the tourney champions. No equipment Is needed, and amateurs are invited. Interested teams should leave their names with chairman Tom McEl¬ veny, who can also provide them with
Continued on Page Five